You Can't Top An Exit Like That
by Darkwolf-Untamed
Summary: But you can always make a better entrance... (Special Features uploaded! Complete with a deleted scene!)
1. You Can Always Make A Better Entrance

"Can't Top An Exit Like That"  
But you can always make a better entrance.  
  
Home alone. Normally, he'd have found that comforting. After all, even though you're alone, you're still home, right? But in order for that to be true, you would have to BE home. And he wasn't. His home was half a world away. And to make matters worse, she didn't even know he was alive.  
  
Or, rather, unalive. But it was the same thing, basically.  
  
So there he sat. Alone, and in the dark. He didn't even really have a room he could call his own. He drifted. Sometimes he spent the lonely nights in the lab, watching the night crew clean, and examining the odd little things that Fred kept around there in jars. Sometimes, it might even be classified as "interesting". Other nights, he wandered through the basement of the Wolfram & Hart building, looking for something to get into. Some kind of trouble he could cause. Most of the time, all he found was rats.  
  
When he'd been a ghost, he didn't have a choice. He had to stay there. Had to haunt the hallways of the law firm turned do-gooders haven. He'd even had the ability to drift through the walls, and so he could occupy himself playing little tricks on the people who did live there full time. Most notably, Angel. But without the ghosting powers, he couldn't even get into the older vampire's sanctum sanatorium. Let alone do anything that would be deemed interesting, without being caught.  
  
So, he drifted. On this night, he was browsing the library, such as it was. Those five books that held all the information one could ever want or need on Prophesy, demonology, and curses, ect. Sometimes, he'd spend his time looking up the Sanshu Prophesy, but, since he'd basically lost all interest in it, it seemed rather redundant. So tonight, he was just sitting in one of the chairs, staring absently into space.  
  
And cursing himself for being a total and complete idiot.  
  
"'Can't top an exit like that'", he muttered to himself. "Bloody hell. This is reasoning? She loves me, and I'm not flyin' to her side just because I made a hell of an exit three months ago? Yeah, I saved the bloody world. Yes, I gave my buggerin' life for her. Why should I stay away because of that? Miss out on the hero's welcome, eh? Sounds more like somethin' a ponce like Angel would do. Not me. Not Spike."  
  
He growled softly and shifted in the chair, rubbing his nose absently, and didn't even bother questioning the fact that he was honestly holding a conversation with himself. Lately, it seemed that he was the only person who wanted to talk to him.  
  
"So why are you NOT on a plane right now, mate?", he asked himself, his tone of voice taking on a very dangerous growl.  
  
"Because," he muttered an answer to his own question. "I'm scared that she won't."  
  
"Won't what?", that annoying, growling voice asked. "Won't welcome the man who gave his life for her with open. arms? Won't accept that you gave your life, and you're back? Or are you scared that she'll admit what you originally thought? That her "I love you", was just a last minute effort to give you what you wanted when you both knew you were about to die."  
  
"The last one," he said with a sigh, his voice drifting back to the softer tone that was more normal for him, these days. "What if it was? What if I was right? "No you don't," I said. "But thanks for sayin' it." What if I was right?"  
  
Quietly, for a change, the growling voice almost whispered, "But what if you were wrong? Think about those last few nights, mate. Really, really think about them. She came to you. You held her. You slept together, in each other's arms. She felt something for you. You know it. You're just scared."  
  
"Bloody right, I'm scared", Spike hissed at himself, getting up out of the chair and snarling softly. He began pacing around the chair as he mumbled to himself. "I'm scared that she never loved me. I know she felt something, but what if it was just gratitude? What if it was simple friendship, like she feels for the other. for the Scoobies."  
  
"For the others, you mean?", the growling voice asked again, but even it had taken on a soft tone by now. "For your REAL family? Look around you, Spike. You don't belong here. This is Angel's territory. His domain. You're unwanted by the one person who COULD validate your staying here."  
  
"Fred likes me. And Gunn, too," he said quietly, still walking in a slow circle around the chair. "N'I suppose Wes would like me, if he got to know me a little better, and stopped actin' like such an anal Watcher."  
  
"But Angel's the only one you WANT to like you. And he's the only one who never will. You know you were lucky to get that little admission out of him a couple of weeks ago that he liked your taste in music, sometimes. That was a big stretch for the wanker, and you know it," the growly voice pressed.  
  
"So what?", Spike asked the voice with a growl of his own. "What do I care? Just 'cause he's my Sire, doesn't mean he has to lo- like me. He doesn't. I don't expect him to. I don't WANT him to. I want him to just leave me alone."  
  
"Seems to me, mate, that that's just what he's been doin'."  
  
Spike stopped in his tracks, not having a response to his own answer. It was true that it was usually HIM who pushed Angel. He was the one looking for a reaction, while Angel seemed content to simply ignore his Childe, and go about the business of.. Well, business.  
  
"He is pretty busy.", he started, but couldn't finish the sentence. Especially since he wasn't even sure where he was going with that.  
  
"Yeah," the growly voice said quietly. "He's always busy. Too busy for his friends. Too busy for his family. Too busy to bother seein' how you've changed. And you're so eager to show him, that you're pushing him away, rather than makin' him WANT to learn about the new you."  
  
Spike swallowed and sighed, leaning against the back of the chair and staring up at the annoying, vaulted ceiling of the library room. "Bloody hell. I hate it when I'm right." He sighed. "So what do I do now? I can't get Angel's attention. I'm too scared to go find Buffy. And, on top of that, I'm not even sure exactly where she is."  
  
"Two birds, mate. Just gotta find the right stone to get both of 'em."  
  
He cocked his head, and a slow smile spread over his face. "Yeah. and I think I just might have it." The smile got a bit bigger. "And it's Slayer shaped."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Angel growled quietly in his sleep, and pulled the blanket up over his head. Even ASLEEP, he couldn't get away from that annoying Spike in his side. If he hadn't already been dead, he'd have begun to think that Spike was intent on annoying him into an early grave. Hell, he was SMELLING the younger vampire in his DREAMS. It was like he was in. his.. bedroom.  
  
Angel jumped awake and snarled viciously, vamping on the spot and baring his fangs at the intruder who stood so smugly in the corner of his room. "How the HELL did you get in here?"  
  
Spike chuckled softly, but didn't move from where he stood by the wall. "Got my ways, Peaches. Nice to see that you're as cheery as ever."  
  
"Go away, Spike," Angel muttered, snarling quietly and laying back down, burrowing under the covers. "Leave me alone."  
  
Spike raised an eyebrow and smirked, then came over and plopped himself down on the end of his Grandsire's oversized bed, but didn't say anything.  
  
After about four minutes, Angel slowly pushed the covers down off his head, and glared at the impudent childe laying atop his comforter. "I'm going to kill you, you know. You're not a ghost anymore. It's quite possible."  
  
Spike laughed softly and shook his head. "Last time we fought, Angel, I kicked your ass. Don't flatter yourself. You asked me to leave you alone, and I am."  
  
"You're still here. That makes me NOT alone. So you aren't leaving me alone."  
  
"I have somethin' to say, Peaches. And I'm not leaving until I've said it," Spike said with a smirk. "Go to sleep if you want. I'll still be here in the mornin'."  
  
Angel glared at him again, then sighed and rolled onto his back, sitting up. "Fine. What is it? And it had BETTER be good, if you broke into my room at three am to tell me about it."  
  
Spike smiled. A genuine smile this time. "It's good, mate. And it'll be even better for you." He tilted his head. "And, by the way. When did three am become too early for a vampire?"  
  
Angel sighed. "Since the vampire started running a company from six in the morning until nine at night. That would make three am too early for anyone."  
  
Spike nodded at that. "Point taken.. And, in an odd way, it even leads into my reason for bein' here tonight." He looked at his Grandsire pointedly. "You need a vacation."  
  
Angel blinked. "THIS is why you woke me up? To tell me that I need a vacation? You could've said that ANY time, Spike!"  
  
Spike shook his head. "No, mate. I couldn't. You see. I just figured this out about ten minutes ago."  
  
Angel sighed and slipped back down into his bed, tugging the covers up over himself again. "I figured it out two days after I agreed to take over this stupid law firm."  
  
Spike shifted and laid down next to his Grandsire, stretching slowly and completely ignoring the older vampire's glare. "Then you know what I mean. You really need a vacation, mate."  
  
"I can't leave this place now," Angel said with a sigh, deciding for the moment to ignore Spike's closeness. "Can you imagine the kind of anarchy that my taking a vacation could cause? We're JUST getting this place whipped into shape. Getting it where things really make sense to the employees, and to the clients. Where people and demons are actually requesting our help. It's finally looking like we're making a difference."  
  
"At what cost, Angel?", Spike asked quietly, blinking at his Grandsire from where his head rested on the pillows nearby. "Your sanity? Look at you. You're exhausted. You're trying to do things that you never would've had to deal with before. You've started turning a blind eye to the problems of your own people, in favor of concentrating on keeping clients happy. I talked to Harmony last night. Did you know that your secretary was completely convinced that nothing she did mattered? That no one cared about her at all? She has no real friends. No family. No purpose, except what you give her. The girl bloody lives to get you coffee and blood, mate. It's her purpose in life, lately. You give her an assignment, and she tries harder than she ever has at ANYTHING in her life before now. She does research, so that she can help you out. She didn't even do research in High School. She likes you, and she wants nothin' more than a little acknowledgement that she's doing something right."  
  
"I acknowledge her."  
  
Spike raised an eyebrow. "By asking her to get coffee? She spent a day in proverbial hell, thinking that she'd killed someone. Look at that. She's developing a guilt complex, and she doesn't even have a soul. I know how she feels. It isn't easy to be one of the white hats without one, Peaches. She has to work really hard to push down everything she is, to be good for you. And she wants to. Because she likes you. And all you do is ask her to get more coffee. That's not the Angel I used to know and despise."  
  
Despite himself, Angel smiled a bit at that. "It isn't, huh?"  
  
Spike shook his head, deathly serious. "No. The Angel I used to know always put the concerns of his inner circle over any and everyone else. The Angel I used to know could read most people like books, and if they were upset, he'd pull them aside until he figured out why, and what he could do about it. He didn't spend his days worrying about his clients, because they weren't CLIENTS to him. They were people. With problems. And he wanted to offer them some sort of solution to them. To HELP them. "We help the hopeless", Angel. Remember? That used to be your motto. What is it now? "We help if you can prove you need help"? "We'll help if you can offer us a big fat check"?"  
  
Angel growled softly, and rolled over, putting his back to Spike. "I don't even know anymore."  
  
"And I don't even know you anymore," Spike said quietly, almost whispered. "But I want to. I want you to be the Angel I remember. The one who wanted to help people just to be helping. Not this. corporate conglomerate with so much on his mind that he can't even remember to lock his own bedroom door at night."  
  
Angel blinked, and rolled back over. "THAT is how you got in? I forgot to lock the DOOR??"  
  
Spike nodded. "Yeah. But that isn't important now."  
  
"I think it is," Angel muttered.  
  
"It isn't," Spike said quietly. "But it does illustrate my point. When you go to sleep at night, Angel, do you feel like you've accomplished anything? Anything at all?"  
  
Angel started to say something, then sighed and stopped. "Not usually. No."  
  
"Wouldn't you like to feel that way again?", Spike asked quietly.  
  
Angel just nodded this time, mentally growling at himself for letting Spike get through. But the truth was. His Childe was right. He'd lost that vision. That clarity of thought that made everything always feel like they would win at the end of the day. And he wanted it back. And if Spike was offering some way for him to get that back, well. He was going to pounce on it. Corporation be damned, he wanted to feel like himself again.  
  
Spike smiled a little bit. "Then let's go on a vacation. Together. Give you some time to sort out this stuff, away from the big chair. And maybe even give us some time to get to know each other again."  
  
This time, Angel raised an eyebrow. "Together, huh? And if we kill each other on this 'vacation', then what?"  
  
"We won't. Because of where we're goin'."  
  
Angel rolled his eyes and sighed. "Okay. I'll bite. Assuming I come with you, where are we going?"  
  
Spike smiled again. "Europe."  
  
Angel blinked twice, then his eyes widened a little bit. "You're inviting me to go with you to see Buffy?"  
  
The younger vampire nodded. "I figure. I can't top savin' the world and givin' my life for an exit. But there's always a chance to top the entrance. Bringin' you with me kind of insures that, don't you think?"  
  
Angel gave Spike an almost Angelus-like smirk. "And what if she's happier to see me than she is to see you?"  
  
Spike shook his head. "That doesn't even matter right now, Peaches. This trip is as much about you and me as it is about Buffy. And I'd really rather you came with me this time." His voice dropped to almost a whisper. "I've missed my family. My Grandsire. I want you with me." He cleared his throat and deliberately pulled a growling tone into his voice. "And if you tell ANYONE that I said that, or any of this, for that matter, I'll personally rip your spleen out and feed it to you. Got it?"  
  
Angel couldn't help himself. He laughed at that. "Got it." He sighed and put one hand on Spike's shoulder. "But can I at least sleep on this? It's a big decision. I need to find someone to take over while I'm gone. To make sure that the company doesn't-"  
  
"Bloody forget the damned company, Angel," Spike growled. "That's what we're getting away from. If you let it pull you back in by takin' the time to think about that stuff, then you'll never leave. Drop it on Wesley tomorrow, and leave with me tomorrow night. We can take the Wolfram & Hart corporate jet and be in London before sunrise. It's got that tempered glass too, right? We could even leave durin' the day tomorrow."  
  
"You're in quite a hurry for someone who's put off leaving for three weeks since becoming recorporialized," Angel said slightly teasingly. Something about this had him feeling a bit better, already.  
  
Spike just nodded. "I didn't know why I did that, actually. Not until tonight. Somethin' made it all just. suddenly become clear."  
  
Angel raised an eyebrow. "And what was that?"  
  
Spike just shook his head. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you, mate." He shifted away from his Grandsire and got up. "But okay. If you need a bit of time. I'll give it to you." He turned around and headed for the door. "Just. give me an answer soon, okay? I want to get going before we completely lose track of where Buffy is."  
  
Angel nodded, watching as Spike headed for the door, but something made him call out. "Spike? Wait."  
  
The younger vampire stopped, but didn't turn around. "Yeah?"  
  
Angel sighed to himself, feeling like an idiot for not having realized this before. "Where do you sleep, Spike?"  
  
Spike sighed, but kept his back to Angel. "Around. No one ever offered me an office, as I recall."  
  
Angel hid a slight wince, suddenly feeling a bit bad about all the times he'd denied just that to his Childe, just out of petty anger and jealousy. "Look. there's a couch in the corner over there. It isn't a bed, but it's got to be better than an office chair. The extra blankets are in that drawer down there, as well as some clothes that might fit you."  
  
Spike smiled slightly and turned to face Angel. "You askin' me to stay with you tonight?"  
  
Angel nodded. "For what little of 'tonight' is left. Yeah." He held up a hand. "But JUST tonight. Got that, Spike?"  
  
Spike nodded, expertly hiding a bit of disappointment "Got it." He headed over to fish some blankets and one of Angel's oversized shirts out of the drawers.  
  
Angel continued on, as if his Childe hadn't even said anything. "Tomorrow, we'll see about finding you somewhere definite to stay around here. If, of course, you plan on coming back from our vacation."  
  
Spike blinked at Angel from where he was making himself comfortable on the couch. "You mean it?" He mentally cursed himself for sounding rather like an overeager child, but. Angel was basically saying he wanted him around. That was more than he'd expected when he started this night.. And. wait. 'Our vacation'? "You've decided, then?"  
  
Angel yawned, settling down. "No promises, Spikey. Goodnight."  
  
Spike smiled as he let himself sink into the pillows, yawning quietly. "G'night, Peaches." Something told him that tomorrow would start a whole new chapter in his still brand new life.  
  
* * * * * * * * 


	2. But Sometimes You Don't Have To

"Can't Top An Exit Like That"  
But Sometimes You Don't Have To.  
  
Buffy made a sound that almost could've been a growl, and glared at Giles. "What do you mean, 'I rescheduled your class today'??"  
  
Giles sighed. "Just that, Buffy. You've been running yourself ragged these last few months. Take the day off. Faith can handle this Slayer orientation. Just go rest."  
  
She glared at him again, then sighed and nodded. "Fine, Giles. But you know as well as I do that I won't be able to."  
  
Giles sighed and nodded, subconsciously mirroring his Slayer's response. "I know," he said softly. "Just try."  
  
Buffy sighed again, and made that little imitation growl under her breath, then turned and disappeared through one of the hallways in the old mansion that what was left of the Watcher's Council had turned into a training academy of sorts for all the new Slayers.  
  
The place was huge; she mused absently to herself. With so many twists and turns it's not surprising that most of the 'recruits' were a little overwhelmed at first. Buffy, however, knew her way around almost supernaturally. Even if she wound up in a part of the house that she'd never been to before, she could always find her way back to the library, or to her own room.  
  
Not so much to anywhere else, but still.  
  
She growled again, as close to the real sound as she could, as she headed around yet another corner and into her room. Closing the door behind her, she flopped on the bed. Giles was right. She did need to rest. But as she'd pointed out to her Watcher, it wasn't very likely that she would be able to.  
  
She hadn't slept a full night in over three months. Not since that day in the Hellmouth. When he'd given his life for her. For the world. And she was grateful, but she missed him. Every day, she missed him. And every time she tried to sleep, she heard his final words again. Felt his burning hand in her own.  
  
It wasn't hard to remember something that had scarred her heart as badly as it had scarred her hand. The hand she was looking at right now.  
  
The burn scars had faded with time. Her Slayer's healing abilities were something most non-Slayers envied for just that reason. But she could still see them, as bright red and painful as they were that day.  
  
With her index finger on her other hand, she traced the line of the lowest scar, the one that covered the back of her hand, but not the palm. The palm that had touched his as he told her to run. To save herself. And damn her survival instinct, she had. She'd left him there to die alone, without even taking the few seconds it would've taken to convince him of the truth. And to let him know just how much "No you don't, but thanks for saying it" had hurt her. He had to have known how much it killed her to admit that right at the end.  
  
She'd been planning to tell him that evening, actually. When it was all over. She hadn't known that it was going to collapse the entire TOWN. Hadn't expected him to be the one to die. To give his life. She'd planned that they'd go back to the house. Bruised and bloodied, but stronger in the end. They'd beaten the very essence of evil itself, and they'd come out the winners. She was going to follow him down into his basement room. For, by that time, it really WAS his basement. Belonged to him. The only room in the house that no one camped on the floor. The only place in the entire house that anyone could be alone.  
  
She wouldn't have cared if people had seen her following him down there. She'd even planned to be holding his hand. Maybe have hugged him when they got out. In front of everyone, she was going to show them just how much his unwavering support had meant to her. How much HE meant to her. But she didn't expect him to be satisfied with the little insinuations. After all, how long had she given him nothing but that? Far too long. So when they were alone, she was going to sit on his cot next to him, and touch his face. She planned to kiss each individual bruise and healing cut that undoubtedly would've covered his body by then. Then she was going to lay them down, facing each other. That alone was a gesture, as all the times they'd spent the night together before that, she always had her back to him. She was going to press her forehead to his, and nuzzle his nose in the way she knew male vampires loved to be nuzzled, and she was going to whisper, "I love you, Spike", so soft, that he'd ask for her to repeat it. And when she did, he'd believe her. Because she would've spent the whole day proving it to him.  
  
But that hadn't happen. When that morning was over, there wasn't a basement. There wasn't a house. There wasn't even a town. And, most importantly. There wasn't a Spike.  
  
She'd been rushed. They both knew from the moment that damned amulet had pinned him to the wall that he wasn't getting out of there. Even if he had gotten out. it was pure daylight outside. He would've incinerated before he reached them. And now, she didn't know what she'd been thinking, scheduling the 'raid' for early in the morning. What had she been doing? Hoping it would be cloudy? It didn't make any sense. Unless she'd known beforehand. Subconsciously, she must have known. Maybe from the moment she'd given Spike the amulet. Knew that it would be a gift, and a curse. But at the time, she'd only been thinking of what it meant to him. What the title "Champion" meant to the still newly souled vampire. And the look on his face had made the risk worth it.  
  
But she hadn't expected it. She'd known, but she hadn't expected it. So she'd been rushed. Forced to forgo the day of showing Spike how she felt, and having to rush right to the "I love you". And, of course, he didn't believe her. And she didn't have the time to convince him.  
  
But she could've at least tried.  
  
She'd seen it in his eyes. On his face, as that light from PTB only knew where started to consume him. He wouldn't lose her again. It was his turn to jump. Every night he'd saved her, for months. And when she was back, she could see the pain on his face. He believed he'd failed her. Just because she'd chosen to give her life. The pain she'd caused him. She knew she could never make up for that. And in the end, all she could do was let their roles reverse.  
  
His turn to jump. His turn to give his life for those he loved, and in doing so, to save the world.  
  
But now she was the one left behind. Unlike Spike, however, no matter what she did when she replayed those events in her mind, she never could find a way to save him. That day, it was already too late. The only other choice would've been to accept Angel's help, and then let her first love be the one to sacrifice himself. And that wouldn't have been any better. Though she could hardly imagine it being worse.  
  
Buffy sighed and made that growling sound again, smiling a bit to herself when she did it. Spike had taught her that. It was always fun to see the look on a demon's face when she growled right back at them. Or the look on some upstart young Slayer who'd gotten a bit too cocky. That growl never failed to shut them up.  
  
She stared absently at the ceiling of her rather sparse room. It was times like this that she really missed her stuff. Most notably, Mr. Gordo. She wanted something to snuggle that would be comforting. And he was at the bottom of a pit somewhere, probably blown to teeny tiny pieces. And yet, she could never bring herself to get a new stuffed pig. Because they wouldn't be Gordo. There were so many memories tied up to that little ball of pink fluff. She remembered the time she'd come in and caught Angel holding the pig. And another time that Dawn had stolen him for a day, and hid him inside the oven.  
  
That was why Dawn wasn't ever allowed in her room without her there, anymore. It was also why Mr. Gordo had been missing a patch of fur on one of his little thighs. Her mother had decided to turn on the oven to pre- heat for a pizza, and burned her little pig in the process. God, she'd wanted to kill Dawn.  
  
Funny how things like that change.  
  
Also funny how some things never do.  
  
She sighed and rolled over, burying her face in the pillows piled high on her bed. She'd do what Giles asked. And TRY to rest. Try being the operative word. She knew she wouldn't be able to really rest. All she could do is sleep, and wait for the nightmare, when she'd see him burn again.  
  
She did have to admit, though. It had been one hell of an exit. Spike would've been the first to point that out. She just wished he hadn't had to make it yet.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
(A/N: Um. Thank you, everyone, for the feed back. I hadn't actually been planning to continue this, but one of you lovely reviewers changed my mind. Mentioning an "A/S tangent" that the story seemed to be on. Allow me a moment to explain my view. I am a B/Ser, first and foremost. However, lately, I have decided that I like A/S to a point, and I started out as a B/Aer. If I continue, I want to warn all of you that this might contain hints of all those pairings. or even become a B/A/S fic. I'm not saying that this will happen, because I honestly don't know. It depends on where the story goes from here. I do know that this chapter actually was originally going to be a stand-alone story, by itself. But, seeing as it introduces Buffy to this story, and tells her side of what happened, I figured it would do well for a second chapter, and give me time to complete the third one.  
  
I also want to note that I work at night, and sleep during the day, my only day off during the week is Sunday. So that's when I tend to do my writing, and any time during the day that I can't sleep. There WILL be updates. But they'll most likely bee weekly.  
  
And please forgive the strange appearances of periods in the text. I don't know why it does this. Microsoft Word is rather new to me, and whenever I do a trail off of periods (usually three in a row) when I upload it, it shows up as one in the middle of a sentence. I know this is annoying, and if anyone knows how to fix it, please let me know. Thank you, and keep reviewing, if you would be so kind. -Darkwolf ) 


	3. But You Can Always Make A New One

"Can't Top An Exit Like That"  
But you can always make a new one.  
  
Spike yawned quietly, settling in the luxurious leather of Angel's private limo's back seat, purring softly to himself. Amused, Angel blinked at him from the other seat, several small suitcases littering the floor between them as the limo took off for the airport some time just before sunrise the next day. "Comfy?", the older vampire asked, a slightly teasing tone once again present in his voice.  
  
Spike chuckled softly. "S'less lumpy than your couch, Peaches. Hell, s'about ten times as comfortable. Why didn't you just tell me to go sleep in the car?"  
  
Angel rolled his eyes and settled back himself, absently looking out the window. "I was being hospitable. Don't get used to it."  
  
Spike smirked, then broke it with another soft yawn, leaning back and closing his eyes, leaving his sire to his window watching.  
  
The morning had actually been rather uneventful, considering the huge change that Angel's leaving for PTB only knew how long should've caused. But the old Angel Investigations crew seemed almost expectant of this turn of events. It had surprised Angel. But not Spike. He'd known, just from all the haunting he'd done recently, just how well Angel's 'pack' could handle things on their own. They even encouraged him, with kind words, and even a hug from Fred, and all seemed certain that this vacation would be just what Angel needed. Though Wesley had pulled Angel aside and queried him on the sense of going with SPIKE, of all people, on this 'vacation'. The older vampire needed to relax, and Spike didn't exactly breed the kind of calm, soothing atmosphere that Angel would usually look for on a vacation.  
  
Hell, the last time he'd taken a vacation, it had been to a MONESTARY. What does that tell you?  
  
But, to Spike's surprise (and more than a little pleasure), Angel had waved away Wesley's attempt to dissuade him, telling the former Watcher that if it weren't for Spike, Angel wouldn't be going anywhere. And probably would've run himself into the ground within the week. Wesley had conceded, but with more than a little apprehension. He still saw Spike as an unstable element. And, hell, he WAS. But maybe that was just what Angel needed right now. Someone who wasn't so focussed on keeping to the "gray area", and still knew that there is indeed a LINE there. One that they were teetering on the edge of far too often for the younger vampire's liking. And, despite Spike's other, less redeeming characteristics. Angel respected him for that. It was one of the few things they did see eye to eye on.  
  
So now, they were in a limo that Angel very rarely made any use of, heading for the airport where the Wolfram & Hart private jet would whisk them away to see the woman they both still loved.. And who didn't even have a clue they were coming. Or even that one of them was alive. Or, rather, undead. But still.  
  
"Have any idea what you're going to say to her?", Angel suddenly asked Spike, but his voice was the barest whisper. And for a moment, he was unsure if his Childe had heard him. Until Spike answered.  
  
"Was thinkin' of 'hey, luv', actually," Spike murmured, his own voice very quiet, his eyes not even opening to regard his Sire as he spoke. "She always told me never to call 'er that. N'I figure that, if I get her pissed at me in the first few seconds, she'll really believe it's me."  
  
To Angel's surprise, he laughed quietly at that. "Sounds like you, too."  
  
There was an awkward silence for a few minutes after that, but this time, it was Spike that broke it.  
  
"What 'bout you? What're you gonna say to her?"  
  
Angel sighed. "God. I don't even know where to start, actually. I half expect a slap to the face. But, then, I expected that when I first brought her the amulet."  
  
Spike snorted, but kept his eyes closed. "Didn't look like a slap from where I was standin'."  
  
Angel blinked, and started to ask Spike exactly WHERE he had been "standin'", but changed his mind and simply sighed instead. "I know."  
  
Spike didn't have a response to that, and so the two vampires lapsed into a less than companionable silence, Angel staring out the window, and Spike staring at the insides of his eyelids. After a few minutes, Angel bent down to root through his bags. which, except for one small bag of Spike's, were all they had with them.  
  
"Clothes horse," Spike murmured suddenly.  
  
Angel blinked, the words catching his attention more than anything else, and looked at his Childe. "What?"  
  
"Buffy always said you were a clotheshorse. 'Ad more clothes in your closets than her and Cordy put together, she told me once," Spike mumbled. "Most of your stuff is out of date, but you can't bring yourself to toss 'em away and get new stuff, no matter how much money's at your disposal."  
  
Angel made a face. "She called me that to my face exactly once. I made her promise never to do it again. I am NOT a clotheshorse. I just like keeping things that are attached to memories. That's all."  
  
Spike snorted softly, and graced his Sire with the momentary appearance of one blue eye peering at him from beneath a sleepy lid. "So that's. what? Everythin' you've ever owned?" He smirked, and closed the eye again. "Do me a favor and define 'clothes horse', for me, would you, mate?"  
  
Angel growled softly and glared at the indifferent vampire across the car, then went back to rooting through his bags. "It isn't like I brought all of it WITH me, you know. Just some choice items. a few shirts Buffy always told me she liked."  
  
"The red velvet one?"  
  
Angel blinked again, then sighed. "I don't think I want to know how you know about that."  
  
Spike snickered quietly and stretched. "She told me. Told me lots of things." He opened his eyes and regarded his Sire with a curious expression. "How'd you get her to promise to stop callin' you a clothes horse?"  
  
Now it was Angel's turn to smirk. "It won't work to keep Harmony from calling you 'Blondie Bear', if that's what you're wondering about."  
  
Spike groaned and thumped his head back against his seat. "Just. don't mention that. I'm VERY bloody close to being able to ignore when she does it. Don't draw my attention to it." He blinked at Angel again. "But I really am curious. How?"  
  
Angel smiled a bit at the memory. "The only time she did it to my face, we were alone in the mansion, and she had been looking through my closet for something to wear over her shirt, because she was cold, and I couldn't for the life of me get the damned fire going that night. She came out of the bedroom, wearing that shirt you just mentioned, actually, and came over to me, sidled up against my side, and gave me that cute little grin of hers. You know the one."  
  
Spike smiled a little, himself, his eyes closing again. "Yeah. Didn't see it much, but when I did. Buggerin' adorable."  
  
Angel nodded. "That's the one. So she gave me that little grin, then poked me in the side and said 'You know you're the biggest clothes horse in the world, right?'" Angel chuckled. "I gave her a look, then informed her never to call me that again. She asked why, so I said 'You'll regret it"."  
  
Spike chuckled and opened one eye again. "Let me guess. She said it again. Maybe a little cheekier, that time?"  
  
Angel nodded again and smiled a little more, his eyes taking on a slightly glazed over look, as if he was peering at his own memories. "Yeah. So. I used that famous vampire speed to completely catch her off guard, hold her with one arm wrapped around her, and proceeded to tickle her senseless with the other hand until she promised never to call me that again. And she never did."  
  
Spike blinked, then laughed. "Good call. I would've loved to see THAT."  
  
Angel kept smiling for a few seconds, as the rest of the memory played out in his mind, then he sighed again and nodded, leaning back in the seat and letting his eyes refocus. "You probably would've tried to 'rescue' her, though," Angel said teasingly, the memory having put him into a more congenial mood.  
  
Spike smirked. "Would've been easy, too." He yawned again, and once more closed his eyes. "You were always easy to pounce, if your focus was elsewhere."  
  
Angel rolled his eyes, then relaxed back into the seat, going back to looking out the window at the passing buildings. "I won't even dignify that with a response."  
  
Spike just smiled, keeping his eyes closed, and let himself relax a bit more fully. Truth was. he'd already known that story. Buffy had told him in one of her rare, unguarded moments. He didn't even remember when, or why the subject had come up. But he'd hoped that dropping the phrase 'clothes horse' on Angel out of no where would do exactly what it did. Trigger a memory that made the older vampire relax. And a relaxed Angel was an easier Angel to get along with.  
  
Now all he had to do was keep playing the same game, until Angel started to see. whatever it was that Spike kept feeling that he needed to see. How much he'd changed, or something. Something big. Something. Life altering.  
  
He just really had no idea what it was.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
(A/N: Short chapter, I know. And I apologize. But, like I said in my last a/n, I don't get much time to write. The chapters probably won't keep switching from Angel and Spike to Buffy and back again, as I really find it hard for me to write Buffy without Angel or Spike THERE with her. The second chapter was really just to let everyone know where she is. And this one. gives us a bit more insight into Angel and Spike, and maybe a bit of what Spike is trying to do. Even if he doesn't know what it is, yet. * smirks* I do, though. So don't worry.  
  
-Darkwolf ) 


	4. But Who Says You Have To?

"Can't Top An Exit Like That"  
  
But who says you have to?  
  
Spike absently blinked out the window of the Wolfram & Hart jet, and sighed to himself. His stomach was constantly doing acrobatics, and his heart (speaking figuratively, of course) was hammering in his chest. In a few short hours, he'd be confronting Buffy. He'd see her for the first time in months. And old reflexes were already trying to present themselves. He had a desire to rehearse what he planned to say.  
  
Angel, on the other hand, seemed maddeningly calm, lounging on the couch- like seat that took up half the other side of the plane from his Childe. It was enough to seriously piss Spike off. But the younger vampire couldn't afford to let his emotions run away with him on this. If he blew up at Angel, especially for no real reason, he would blow an entire day of getting on his Sire's good side. And he wouldn't have the time to do it again before they'd be meeting Buffy. So he had to be congenial. Or, at least, not obnoxious.  
  
But it wasn't easy.  
  
He decided to turn his thoughts from Buffy for the moment. After all, meeting her and acting like a nervous wreck would not go over well. Spike calmed himself slowly, taking a few deep, unnecessary breaths. His attention then turned to his Sire. While an occasionally annoying subject, at least it wasn't one that would send his thoughts into some kind of emotional tailspin. Besides, he had a few things he wanted to sort out. Namely, why he was wanting to be so freaking NICE to the older vampire lately. And why it had felt so good when Angel had shown concern for him the previous night.  
  
Unobtrusively, he watched Angel as the older vampire focused his attentions on a piece of scrap paper he'd found. Spike tilted his head curiously, but couldn't clearly see what his Sire was doing. So... he decided to ask. "Peaches," he said quietly. "What're you up to over there?"  
  
"Don't call me 'Peaches'," Angel muttered automatically, then blinked, his Childe's question registering. "Drawing..... Well, sketching, anyway."  
  
Spike was instantly intrigued. He had never really been able to draw anything well, though he did have a gift for sculpture, even though no one KNEW that. But he appreciated art. Especially his Sire's art. It didn't take a budding Picasso to see how well Angel drew. "Sketching what?"  
  
Angel sighed, then turned the page around to show Spike a sketched picture of what appeared to be a large wolf, sitting up behind a big cat. The two animals were quiet obviously at odds, looking at each other mistrustfully, but, at the same time, the two seemed to fit together. As if it would be perfectly normal to find them in the same place. The flowing lines of the cat's body identified it as a panther, though Angel hadn't gotten around to coloring it yet. He shrugged. "The image kind of..... popped into my head a few minutes ago."  
  
Spike blinked at the paper curiously. "Teeth look a bit long..... They supposed to hang out of the mouths like that?"  
  
Angel chuckled and nodded. "That's how it was in my mental image." He turned the paper back around, playing with the fur length on the wolf. "Black and white. Yin and Yang, I guess..... White wolf, black panther..... I need a pen or something to color him in, though."  
  
Spike fished through his pocket, and tossed a pen over to Angel. "There you go, mate. Make 'im look good."  
  
Angel raised an eyebrow, picking up the pen. "Some reason you're suddenly carrying pens around?" The tone was teasing, but not overly so.  
  
Spike smirked. "I occasionally take notes on things. Other than that..... no."  
  
Angel just raised an eyebrow and leveled his gaze at Spike, who almost instantly fidgeted, and turned to look out his window. Angel hid a smile behind his paper, and went back to sketching without another word.  
  
Almost the instant Angel looked away, Spike looked back at him, watching him draw again. Truth was, he'd picked up his old poetry habit again. Even had a tiny notebook in his inner jacket pocket for just that reason..... But he'd never tell Angel that. He could almost feel the teasing that would surely result from THAT little revelation. It was one thing for him to tease Angel about his art, if he ever decided to do so..... But it was another thing entirely for him to BE teased about his poetry. He knew it sucked. Had no delusions on the matter anymore. But still, being teased about it would bring up those memories that were still, a century after the fact, incredibly painful. However, his fingers were suddenly itching to write.  
  
The picture Angel was drawing, of the white wolf and black panther, had given him a bit of momentary inspiration. A poem was floating through his head, even as he cursed himself for giving Angel his favorite pen. But he had others..... But he couldn't, could he? The poem in his head had no ending. It went to a point, then froze. Which was a shame, because it flowed better than anything he'd ever written before. With the exception of a few things about Buffy that he'd never gotten up the courage to show to her, that is. Things that were still in his little notebook. Things he might finally get the chance to give her, once they met in France.  
  
Still, the words swirled through his head, circling and binding together the image of that white wolf, and the black panther. He looked at Angel, then yawned quietly, surprising himself. And he was even more surprised to see that Angel was nodding off as well, his little piece of paper laying in his lap, showing that he'd finished coloring the panther before he dozed off.  
  
Spike stared at the image, and yawned again. He shrugged to himself. Some days he was just more tired than others. This was one of those days, apparently. He pulled his legs up onto the little couch area and laid over onto his side, stretching out and closing his eyes. The moment his eyes closed, the image of the wolf and panther returned..... as did the poem.  
  
"Darkness and light,  
  
Not different as they seem.  
  
Bound as one in the night,  
  
Dangerous, vicious things.  
  
Black claws and white fangs,  
  
Blue eyes and gold, Flashing, crashing, ripping things, Follow the dance, so old.  
  
Creeping through the darkest night,  
  
Stalking, hunting, set to kill.  
  
Side by side, yet all alone, White fangs, black claws, red blood spilled.  
  
Kill to eat, is what they must,  
  
But forced to stop, they stand still. Left or right, or straight ahead, Before them lies a dangerous hill.  
  
Separate as night and day,  
  
Pain and rage, anger and fear,  
  
Bound together, forced to stay,  
  
On the path before them still.  
  
Blending in shadows, Lurking in light,  
  
Both sides locked,  
  
In the same fight.  
  
White fur, black fur, clash together,  
  
A compromise must be reached,  
  
Lest the warriors destroy each other,  
  
Rather than the enemy they both seek.  
  
White fangs, black claws,  
  
Red blood spilled.  
  
Fighting for the ages,  
  
On Armageddon's hill.  
  
This must stop,  
  
It can't go on.  
  
For one is not enough.  
  
Two warriors,  
  
Dark and light,  
  
Can they find a way,  
  
To make it right?"  
  
With the poem and picture still swirling in his head, Spike drifted off to sleep, wondering what the outcome of the poem would be. What the fight would lead to, and where they would be in the end. And, with both vampires unconscious, dead to the world, neither was aware of the odd sound of someone chanting in Latin..... followed by the plane's sudden, and rapid decent. A decent that would undoubtedly end..... in a crash.  
  
* * * * * * * * Spike later woke up with a pounding headache, and the inescapable feeling that something was fundamentally wrong with him. He moaned, reluctant to open his eyes, because he just KNEW he was going to see something he wouldn't like.  
  
And he was right.  
  
When he finally forced himself to look around, curiosity getting the better of apprehension, he froze. He was bathed in the sounds and scents..... and SIGHTS of what could only be described as a Jungle. A real one, not the urban jungle that he'd come to be so familiar with.  
  
And, to make matters worse..... he was up in a tree. A very, VERY high tree. He swallowed and grabbed onto the branch he was draped over, digging his claws into the- Wait. Claws?  
  
Uh oh.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
(A/N: I apologize for the length of time it's taken me to update this. My schedule went rather insane in these last two weeks, and I was barely able to get a very short story done after You're Welcome, let alone continue work on what seems to be becoming an epic. By the way, the poetry, and all ideas expressed in this fic are mine. Anyone who wants to post any of my stories anywhere else needs to ask me first. My email is in my author lookup. Thank you.) 


	5. But This Sure Comes Close

"Can't Top An Exit Like That"  
But this sure comes close...  
  
Angel groaned quietly. Something told him that opening his eyes was a bad thing. Pain shot from his right leg when he tried to move it, and he felt uncomfortably hot. Almost as if he had a fever. But, of course, that was impossible. Vampires don't get fevers unless they're poisoned. And the last thing he remembered was being on the plane with Spike, and drawing. Nothing there to poison him.  
  
Unless... He growled quietly to himself suddenly. Spike. Of course. It had all been a plot by the younger vampire. Entice him with thoughts of seeing Buffy again, lull him into a false sense of security, then... Then...  
  
Then what?  
  
Spike had been asleep as well, the last Angel remembered. And he certainly hadn't seemed to be plotting anything. If anything, he'd seemed quite relaxed in Angel's presence. As if the older vampire were a comfort to him. Moral support. And, after all, that's what Angel was supposed to be, wasn't he? He was there as much for Spike as he was for Buffy, whether or not he'd admit it to himself. He'd felt Spike's nervousness, every time they spoke of the Slayer. Smelled the twinge of worry and fear that seemed to hover around Spike like a cloud, even though Angel was relatively sure that Spike had no clue that he was projecting like that.  
  
But, back to the present.  
  
Angel drew in a slow, unnecessary breath, then pushed himself slowly to his feet.  
  
Or, rather, he tried to.  
  
For some strange reason, he couldn't seem to push himself upright. No matter how hard he pressed his palms to the strange, mossy ground he'd found himself resting on, or how hard he arched his back and tried to get up, he always fell back forward. As if his center of balance was badly off, or his legs were bending the wrong way. And it didn't help that he could feel blood slowly running down his right leg.  
  
Okay, he thought to himself. Now I HAVE to open my eyes... Something really isn't right here. The pain, he could deal with, but this strange problem of being unable to get to his feet was just too disturbing for him to keep his eyes closed any longer.  
  
Slowly, he forced eyes that didn't want to open, open, and blinked in shock. He was in the middle of a forest... No. Not forest. It was too thick to be a forest, and the trees didn't smell right. Everything was wet and green, and the odd calls he'd been forcing to the back of his head from the moment he regained consciousness were slowly flooding his senses. Animals, he realized. And no animal that was native to LA, or anywhere he could think of between LA and France. In fact, they sounded like...  
  
"Monkeys?!", he muttered to himself incredulously, then his eyes widened and he spoke again, this time louder. "I'm in a jungle, I can hear monkeys.. and... and WHAT is that strange noise I'm making?!", he yelped. Literally. He could hear his own voice, but... under it. Beyond it and wrapping around it, he could hear barks. Yaps and growls. Like a dog, or...  
  
No. It couldn't be. He wouldn't believe it.  
  
And yet... he felt his eyes drawn down to where he thought his hands rested on the ground. But instead of hands, he saw white furred paws.  
  
Wolf paws.  
  
Angel screamed, and the wolf body he inhabited howled in anguish.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Meanwhile, Spike was slowly crawling toward the trunk of the tree he'd awakened in, digging the dark, black claws that flexed and extended from the panther body's paws into the bark of the tree. He muttered to himself and studiously ignored the growls and hisses that his body made in response to his words.  
  
"Oh bugger," he muttered, and the growl he emitted was partially intentional. "Okay. Takin' stock, here. I'm a black panther... In a REALLY high tree... In the middle of a jungle... And I have no bloody idea how I got here."  
  
He gave a quiet snort. "That about covers it. Hell. Why did I EVER think this trip was a good idea? If Angel could see me-" He froze, even as he mentally completed that sentence. "ANGEL! Oh no... I gotta find 'im..."  
  
He reached the trunk and dug his claws into it, then tried to climb down slowly, back legs first. He knew that wasn't the way a panther was supposed to climb, but no matter what he did, he couldn't bring himself to go down headfirst. Spike always had a touch of acrophobia, and, while he'd mostly banished it after he was turned, it tended to rear it's head when he was already distressed or worried about something. Or afraid. And he was plenty afraid right then.  
  
"One paw after the other... Make sure you have a good hold before movin' on... That's it... Here we go. I'm climbin'..." He focused on breathing, unsure if the panther body needed to breathe, or whether it was a vampire as he was normally, but he wasn't taking any chances.  
  
Halfway down the tree, he crawled out onto another branch to rest, muscles aching and nerves very nearly shot. It was then that he heard one of the most terrifying sounds he'd ever heard in his life.  
  
A scream, one he recognized as Angel... and, mixed with it, the howl of a hungry wolf.  
  
It didn't occur to him that wolves, as a rule, don't live in jungles. It also didn't occur to him that, in response to the sound, he'd pushed himself up on all fours and leaped from the tree branch. It did occur to him, however, when he found himself hurtling through the air like a black furred missile.  
  
"Ahhhhh!!!", he screamed, and, in response, the instincts of the panther took over suddenly, and he landed almost delicately on the branch of another tree, then took off again. Soon, he was bounding through the trees with all the agility and grace of any natural born panther. "Hang on, mate!", he shouted, the panther's roar mixing with it. "I'm comin'!"  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Angel, meanwhile, was in a state of panic. His normal calm broken by the very, VERY extenuating circumstances, the pain in his leg... And the fact that he possessed a tail.  
  
"No... no no no no no...", he muttered to himself, turning in tight circles and watching the white, fluffy tail that was constantly retreating in front of his black wolf's nose. "I am NOT a wolf. I'm dreaming. I'm still sleeping on that plane... Yeah. That's it. I'm still asleep. Completely asleep. Having the worst, most realistic nightmare of my life. That's all. I'm just asle-"  
  
Suddenly, a panther roar cut through the jungle, silencing the monkeys, birds, and other fauna that littered the canopy above him. Angel felt his whole body stiffen, and the fur raised down his back like grass blowing in the wind. His ears laid back and he faced the direction the roar came from, staggering when the motion made him put weight on his wounded leg. "I'm not asleep," he mumbled to himself, swallowing, as the black panther, nearly twice his size leaped from the trees and faced him, gleaming fangs bared. "And I'm going to die."  
  
Spike didn't see Angel, but he could smell blood. And he could see the wolf standing in front of him. The wolf was almost pure white, brown eyes shining intelligently in a face that would've been quite handsome, if he wasn't relatively sure that his Sire's dust was drifting around because of this horrible creature. Spike's ears flipped back, and he let out a bloodcurdling roar, then launched himself at the wolf. The two animals met in a clash of claws and fangs, as the jungle around them erupted with the screeches and calls of the frightened prey animals that filled the trees around them.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
(Author's Note: Well. The last time I updated this, I only got ONE new review. That was almost enough to make me stop writing. If no one is interested in it but me, then why should I post it? If that happens again, I'm probably just going to write for myself... I've had a very, very bad week at work, so I'd appreciate a LITTLE feedback, okay? Thank you. –Darkwolf) 


	6. So Why Bother Trying?

"Can't Top an Exit Like That"  
So Why Bother Trying?  
  
Angel felt completely lost. The wolf body couldn't punch. It couldn't kick, dodge, or jump the way he was used to, during a fight. The legs didn't even bend the right way, for God's sake! How could he be expected to defend himself against this insane wild cat if he couldn't even fight properly? It didn't make any sense.  
  
He lashed out with his paws, trying to hit the cat, but the panther simply dodged under them and hit the wolf with a blow across the face that sent Angel rolling across the leaf strewn floor of the jungle. And he was now bleeding from the deep claw tracks that slashed deeply across the white fur of his cheek.  
  
And the panther just kept coming.  
  
Spike was in a blind rage. A pain unlike anything he'd ever felt was coursing through his veins. The scent of Angel's blood was stronger now. Their battle must have been taking them closer to the place where the wolf had killed his Sire. Spike didn't have to think about how to fight in the new body. The panther's instincts knew how to use it's claws, teeth, speed and strength. All Spike did was direct where to aim them.  
  
Angel, on the other hand, was still trying to fight like he normally did. Not very adaptable to new situations, Angel was trying to force the wolf body to do something it wasn't made to do, rather than working with what he had available. He was used to planning things before he had to act. Training and researching. Not just throwing himself into it and hoping that it would come out right. But in his panic, he was becoming aware of something. The one hit that he had managed to get in against the panther had ripped a notch in one of it's ears. And he could smell blood.  
  
Blood that smelled like Spike's blood.  
  
Angel thought fast as he tried to dodge another of the cat's vicious claw swipes. Here he was, in a jungle, in the body of a wolf. If Spike had been affected in the same way, wouldn't it be possible that SPIKE was in an animal's body as well? An animal, such as the panther that was trying to turn him into lunchmeat? It made sense, as much as anything seemed to today. The panther and the wolf... The animals he'd been drawing. If something had magically attached itself to his thoughts... to the picture... and HE was the wolf... Of course. Spike HAD to be the panther!  
  
And he was also trying to kill Angel. Well. That just made SO much sense... Still, he had to try something.  
  
"Spike!", he cried out, his mental voice mixing with the yips and growls the wolf body gave off. "Spike, stop! It's me!"  
  
Angel's voice broke through the murderous haze that had been blinding Spike throughout the whole fight up to this point. Spike blinked the panther's gold eyes, and froze in place. Which was a good thing, since he had Angel pinned, on his back, and had been ready to tear the wolf's throat out. "Angel?", he asked quietly, his head tilting in a very familiar manner as he looked at the bleeding white wolf below him.  
  
Angel breathed a quiet sigh of relief, and just nodded the wolf's head as Spike backed off and sat down in front of him. He rolled over until his belly pressed to the ground, leaves already sticking to the bloody wound on his leg, as well as the multiple places that Spike had clawed him. He panted, blinking at Spike for a moment before he bothered trying to speak again. "What the hell... were you doing?", the wolf panted quietly.  
  
Spike actually looked sheepish, if such a word could be used for a panther. "I thought you'd killed... you." He blinked, then shook his head. "Bugger. That is, I thought the WOLF had killed you... I smelled your blood, mate."  
  
Angel nodded, forcing himself to sit up, though the wolf's muscles protested painfully at the motion. Still, he refused to face Spike on the ground like some sort of submissive puppy. "I know... I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad to see you, Spike..."  
  
Spike nodded, giving a low whuffing chuckle from the panther's throat. "Same here, Peaches. Did you wake up in a tree, too?"  
  
Angel shook his head, and then winced, turning it to look at his wounded leg. The wolf's instincts were trying to get him to lick it, but he didn't want to do something that... undignified... in front of Spike. "No. But I woke up with that."  
  
Spike got up with the same liquid grace he'd been showing since he let the panther's instincts show him how to use the body, then came over to sniff at the wound. This wasn't an unheard of action among vampires, so Angel just let the cat behavior go for the moment. "Isn't pretty, mate... N'It's caked with dirty leaves now. We have to do somethin', or it'll get infected."  
  
Angel tried to raise an eyebrow at his Childe, but the wolf didn't exactly HAVE eyebrows, so he settled for giving a soft, sarcastic snort. "And what do you propose we do? Head for the nearest veterinary hospital? We don't even know where we ARE, Spike."  
  
Spike shook his head. "No... there's..." He trailed off, and the panther's ears laid back on his head in concentration. Angel blinked at the cat's expression, since he had yet to figure out HOW to make his ears swivel like that, let alone put the action to something as simple as an expression. "I can't explain it," Spike muttered finally. "But... I know where somethin' is that'll be good for both our wounds... S'a way to walk, though. Up for it?"  
  
Angel growled quietly. That was ONE instinct that wolf and vampire shared. "Do I really have a choice? Lead on, Bageera."  
  
Spike gave a soft snort, but turned and headed into the jungle, disappearing into the shadows almost instantly, and Angel gave a yip of alarm before following him. If he lost sight of the panther, he'd be lost again. And, wounded as he was, he'd probably be an easy meal for whatever other creatures lived in this strange place. He forced himself into a trot to catch up with Spike... but resisted the urge to grab the panther's slowly twitching tail in his mouth. That was the wolf talking again, and Angel refused to bow to it's primitive instincts.  
  
Spike, on the other hand... or was it 'other paw', now?... simply kept walking. His ears swiveled slowly, tracking and letting the panther identify almost every sound he heard. Through the eyes of the cat, the jungle was a living thing. Everywhere he looked, there were things that were alive. A lizard, blending into the bark of one of the largest trees he'd ever seen. Monkeys chattering angrily at the two predators on the ground. A flash of dappled gold fur that Spike instantly knew was a Jaguar. It was smaller than he was, however. And while it might have tried to make a meal of Angel if he'd been on his own, the fact that the injured wolf was escorted by a larger feline made the Jaguar give both of them a wide berth.  
  
Scents, too, told of a place alive from the roots of the large trees, to the thousands of birds singing in the canopy. "So this is the Rainforest everyone wants to save," the panther mused after a short time. "M'beginnin' to see why."  
  
Angel just grumbled, the pain wracking his wolf body, and the fact that he was solely focused on not losing track of the panther in front of him making him oblivious to the wonders they were passing. "Far as I'm concerned," he muttered. "They can bulldoze the damned place and turn it into a strip mall."  
  
Spike turned his head to blink at the injured wolf, then just shook his head. "You're a bloody bitch when you're hurt, you know that?"  
  
Angel just growled in response.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Some time later, they approached the edge of a slow flowing river, and Spike stopped, the panther's instincts letting him know that THIS was the place they were looking for. "We're here."  
  
Angel, by this time, was incredibly thirsty. So whether or not the river held any way to help soothe his wounds didn't even matter. He limped forward and lowered his head, trying to figure out how one would go about getting a drink as a wolf. He dipped his tongue into the water, and then pulled it out, but only a few drops made it to his parched throat. Frustrated, he tried again, only to get the same result.  
  
Spike, in the meantime, was crouching not too far away and slowly, SUCCESSFULLY, lapping up a bit of the river water. Again, being in tune with the panther's instincts was paying off for Spike, where Angel was only pissing himself off. After a moment, Spike sat on the bank and watched Angel try to drink, an amused look on the panther's face. "Want some help, mate?"  
  
Angel growled, trying for what had to have been the twentieth time to get some water, and muttered, "No. I don't. I'm FINE."  
  
Spike gave another soft, whuffing chuckle, and let his tail lazily twitch where it was curled comfortably around his paws. He raised one paw, and started absently licking the pads, then smoothing them over his injured ear in a classic feline grooming motion.  
  
Angel was now just angry. With a snarl, he started smacking the water with his front paws, and trying desperately to snap at the splashes that caused, just to actually GET some water in his mouth. What he didn't see, however, was that his splashing was very like what would be caused by a stranded animal that had wandered into the water and gotten stuck in the mud.  
  
And it was attracting the attention of what appeared to be a very large log floating nearby. That is, it could've been a log, if it weren't for the two reptilian eyes that poked up above the surface of the water. With a slow, silent swish of it's four-foot long tail, the giant crocodile started toward the shore. Anyone looking with just their eyes would have only seen what appeared to be a mostly submerged log slowly floating toward the splashing wolf.  
  
But Spike wasn't looking with just his eyes.  
  
The panther's ears flipped up suddenly as the jungle around them fell silent, except for Angel's growling and splashing. The monkeys stopped chattering. The birds stopped calling. Even the wind itself seemed to stop blowing. It made the fur down Spike's back stand on end.  
  
The panther stood up slowly, and swooshed his tail once in slow motion. Raising his whiskered snout, he drew in several deep breaths. He could smell everything. The panther's sense of smell was actually better than his usual vampiric sense of smell, for the sole reason that a vampire's sense of smell is tuned mainly to one thing. Blood. But for the panther, blood was only one of a myriad of things it could use to locate and capture it's prey. Spike smelled the trees. The droppings of many different animals. Most of which, if he had lingered on the scent for long, he would've been able to identify. He smelled the water of the river, Angel's blood, his own blood, and the pungent scent of the very dirt and mud around them... And he smelled the foul stench of rotten meat. A scent only created by decaying particles of flesh trapped in the jaws of some large carnivore. It was the scent of death. And it had a reptilian tang to it... The little bit of scent that just the creature's snout and eyes gave off, but it was enough for the panther's instincts to identify the threat.  
  
Crocodile.  
  
Now Spike began to look with his eyes. And it didn't take long for him to spot the jaws of death that were closing in on his oblivious Sire. With only moments to act, Spike gathered himself and leaped with all his panther's strength, just as the cavernous jaws exploded from the water, intending to pull the now terrified wolf under and drown him.  
  
It was only a matter of which predator would reach Angel first.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
(Author's Note: Yeah. I know. I'm evil. Two cliffhangers in a row. But I honestly couldn't resist. By the way, I wrote a short story last night. It's called Let Her Rest, and it took me over four hours to write. I'd appreciate some feedback on it, if you all would be so kind. And Alley-Kun, (I believe that's your name... I apologize if I got it wrong), it's a story with VERY definite A/S undertones, so I hope you like it. I'd appreciate your opinion. Thank you. –Darkwolf) 


	7. Who Says You Need To?

"Can't Top an Exit Like That..."  
Who Says You Need To?  
  
The crocodile lunged forward, jaws gaping as it prepared to bite Angel's wolf body clean in half. But it didn't see the black blur that had launched itself from a little further down the riverbank. Not until the black panther crashed into the crocodile's intended target, knocking both mammals rolling away from the riverbank.  
  
The crocodile's jaws snapped shut, but it was rewarded with nothing more than a few black hairs, yanked from the panther's tail in passing. The great reptile glared menacingly at the panther and wolf for a few moments... before it slowly withdrew into the water, and resumed it's ever patient wait for another unwary animal to stumble into it's domain.  
  
Angel coughed and shoved at Spike with all four paws. "Get OFF of me!"  
  
Spike growled, and climbed off the slightly smaller wolf. "Don't bother with a 'thank you', then. I only just saved your life." The panther snorted as he walked a few feet away. He sat down and curled his tail around him, proceeding to lick at it's aching end, where the crocodile's teeth had torn him a slightly bald spot.  
  
Angel rolled over and sat up, growling under his breath. But he was shaking. And that was the real reason he hadn't wanted Spike close to him. He'd always made sure never to let the younger vampire know when something scared him. But that, just then... Seeing those huge teeth aimed right at his head... KNOWING that he was about to die, in a body that didn't even BELONG to him... He'd never felt that terrified before. And he couldn't control the trembling that was wracking his wolf's body.  
  
Spike, on the other hand, was muttering to himself, seemingly unfazed by their close encounter of the reptile kind. "Bloody wanker. Save his life, n'he just shoves me away like I'm some sorta old shoe. Would a 'thank you' really ruin his reputation? Especially considerin' that NO ONE KNOWS WHERE WE ARE." He flipped his ears back and sent a glare in Angel's direction, but the wolf wasn't looking at him. In fact, Angel had his back to the panther, and was curled into just about as small a ball as his wounded wolf's body would allow.  
  
Spike cocked his head and furrowed his brow as best he could, and slowly approached Angel. His anger ebbed away as he took in the sight of the older vampire's slightly shaking form. Something was wrong with his Sire. Very wrong. And he wanted to help. "Angel?"  
  
The white wolf immediately tensed, and emitted a low growl, but he didn't move otherwise.  
  
Now Spike knew something was wrong. He raised a paw, but hesitated before touching Angel's shoulder. "Angel... C'mon, mate. Say somethin'."  
  
Angel swallowed, and raised his head, brown eyes blinking at Spike. "How do you do it?"  
  
The panther blinked gold eyes, and tilted his head at his Sire. That hadn't been the 'something' that he'd expected Angel to say. He'd actually been expecting something along the lines of 'go away'. "Do what?"  
  
Angel sighed and laid his head on his paws, flinching when his wounds pulled at the action. "You walk... like a panther. Jump, run... You move like that's your body. Like you KNOW it."  
  
Spike shrugged, sitting down absently. "Don't know how I'm doin' it, mate." He tilted his head in consideration. "Didn't start out that way..."  
  
Angel growled softly. "If this is a flashback trigger, I swear, I'll bite that ear clean off."  
  
Spike chuckled, then blinked, suddenly remembering why they had come to the river in the first place. "No flashback, mate. I promise. Hang on a second, okay?"  
  
Angel sighed and muttered, "Do I have a choice?"  
  
Spike turned and headed back to the riverbank, hissing quietly in the direction the crocodile had gone, just for good measure. He looked around until he found a nice sized piece of bark, and picked it up in his mouth. He then scooped up a lot of the mineral rich mud from the water's edge, and carried it back over to Angel. "This is what we came here for... Don't ask how I know, but if you put this on your wounds, they won't get infected... N'they'll heal faster."  
  
Angel attempted to raise an eyebrow, but gave up when he remembered that wolves don't exactly have them. "And what are you now? Dr. Quinn, Medicine Panther?"  
  
Spike gave a quiet growl and muttered, "Peaches, I am getting bloody fed up with you. I'm trying to HELP, and all you can do is complain. I don't know why we're here. I don't know how long we'll be stuck here. But I DO know that as long as we're here, we're stuck TOGETHER. So make the best of it, or shut your snout. I, for one, am doin' my part. You, on the other... paw... are just attracting predators."  
  
Angel didn't even growl at that. Instead, he simply let out a sigh. "Fine... Fine. Okay. You have a point. But how would you feel if you were me? You might be comfortable in that body, but I am NOT comfortable in this one. I'm short, I have paws, and I have a fucking TAIL. I can't walk in a straight line, because my back end doesn't want to keep up with my front end, and my ears are on top of my head. How am I supposed to know what direction sounds come from, if my ears are on top of my head!?""  
  
Spike blinked at Angel for a moment, then broke into whuffing laughter. "You turn them... Have... have you been watching mine? I hear somethin', and my ears turn to face it on their own... Yours should do the same, Peaches."  
  
Angel growled. "Stop CALLING me that!" The wolf pushed himself up and lunged at Spike... who gracefully sidestepped and sent Angel sprawling on the riverbank.  
  
Spike winced, his laughter abruptly stalling, then slowly approached Angel, his head ducked in a way that he hoped the older vampire would recognize as Childe to Sire submission. "Look, mate, we shouldn't be fightin'. We need to stick together to get out of this... C'mon back over here, and I'll help you get that mud on... Look. You ripped your leg open again."  
  
Angel had indeed aggravated the leg wound that had caused him so much trouble, and blood was once again slowly pumping out over his now dirty gray fur. "Damn it," the wolf muttered, but he reluctantly followed Spike back to the shady area where the panther had left the bark and mud. Considering the mud, Angel sighed. "What do you want me to do? Roll in the stuff? I don't have hands, Spike."  
  
Spike sighed. "Look, Angel. It's gonna be dark soon. Lay down, n'I'll put the mud on for you." He held up a paw and flexed the claws a bit when Angel looked as if he was going to protest. "Don't," he said, his voice quiet, but matter-of-fact. "Don't bother arguing, Angel. I'm bigger than you, I'm stronger than you, but I'd rather not HAVE to hold you down while I tend your wounds."  
  
Angel growled, but finally laid down and let Spike start carefully rubbing the mud into the throbbing wound on his leg. It hurt at first, but after a few moments, a delicious cooling sensation spread throughout the entirety of the wolf's injured leg, and Angel felt an odd urge to let his tail wag. He didn't allow it to, of course. He wouldn't give in to the wolf's primitive instincts. But he did hold very still for the rest of the time that Spike was applying the soothing mud to his wounds.  
  
Spike, for his part, was already considering what they'd do the next day. The first thing would be to find food. Both of them would be practically starving by the time morning came. Then, after their bellies were full, the next thing on the agenda would be to figure out where they were, where the plane was, and how they could get back to it... and back to normal.  
  
He started to ask Angel what the older vampire thought, when a soft sound from the wolf's slightly open snout caught his attention. Snoring. Angel was snoring. He'd gone to sleep while Spike had been tending his wounds. The panther blinked at his canine companion for a moment, then smiled, as best his panther body could. Rest would be just as good for Angel's worn out body as the medicine mud would.  
  
With a quiet yawn, Spike laid down next to his Sire, letting his black furred tail curl around the wolf's body. He laid his chin absently atop the back of Angel's neck, and his tongue flicked out, straightening the fur behind one of his Sire's ears. There was a lot do to... And more to figure out... But, he thought with a yawn, there wasn't anything that couldn't wait until morning.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
(Author's Note: No real cliffhanger that time... But it was also a short chapter. And, if I might ask, can I PLEASE get some more opinions on Let Her Rest? It took me over four hours to write, and it's the story I'm the most proud of, yet it only has four reviews. Just click on my author name and find it, okay? Please? I don't like to beg. Thank you all. –Darkwolf) 


	8. But Does That Even Matter?

"Can't Top an Exit Like That"  
But Does That Even Matter?  
  
Near a river, in the middle of the Jungle of God Knows Where, a white wolf was laying on a pile of decaying leaves. The wolf's fur was grayed from dirt, mud, and blood. Mud was caked over several areas on it's body, covering and protecting the wounds beneath it's crusted exterior. The wolf was snoring very quietly, but it's ears were unconsciously swiveling around atop it's head, tracking the sounds of early morning birds and other animals that were frolicking in the canopy above.  
  
The wolf shivered, the dampness of the dewy morning starting to sink through it's thick coat. Not too long ago, it had felt warm and safe, but a short while earlier, the panther that had been laying at it's side had gotten up to go in search of food. Now the cold was beginning to take it's toll on the injured wolf, but he was stubborn. Exhausted, he wasn't going to allow something as simple as a little cold to pull him out of his comforting slumber, as he dreamed of a small, blonde woman... And a Black Panther.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Spike slowly stalked through the trees, moving in utter silence. Below him, the gold-coated Jaguar was stalking a family of wild boars. Spike didn't feel like doing the work it would take to bring down one of the large pigs himself, especially since he'd gotten a good look at the tusks the porkers possessed, but if the Jaguar would make a kill, Spike was prepared to steal it.  
  
He'd left Angel about half an hour earlier, and had been careful to mark his trail as he went along, so he'd be able to find the most direct route back to his canine companion. But since he'd been following the Jaguar, he hadn't been marking the trail. For the sole reason that the scent would surely attract the other cat's attention, and most likely lose him their breakfast in the process. But, unlike Angel, he trusted his body's instincts. The panther knew the way back to that river, and it's unwavering confidence gave Spike the assurance he needed to allow himself to concentrate on the task at hand, rather than worrying about how he was going to get back later.  
  
He crouched down and flexed his claws, watching the Jaguar moving below. She reminded him a bit of Buffy, he mused silently. The way she would slowly stalk her prey for as long as it took to assure herself that her kill would be quick and clean. The way she was so focused on her prey that he could stalk her in silence without ever worrying about being noticed. And then there were her eyes.  
  
Most Jaguars have gold or orange eyes. Not all that different from the panther's eyes. But this Jaguar's eyes were green, and held an intelligence that Spike couldn't help but find himself fascinated with. She was focused, and powerful. Vicious, yet smooth. She was an example of feline excellence, Spike was sure of it. He'd never seen another cat so intent on it's prey. And had certainly never seen a cat stalk something for as long as this Jaguar was taking to set up her ambush. Her patience alone was enough to awe the panther.  
  
And he could feel the strike coming. The unsuspecting mother boar and her piglets had walked into a perfect natural trap. The enticing grass had led them into what basically amounted to a box canyon. On three sides, there were fallen, rotting logs. Much too big for the swine to ever hope to jump over. And at the entrance to this trap, the Jaguar was hiding in the foliage. All her hard work and patient stalking was about to pay off.  
  
But that was when she made her first mistake.  
  
One paw stepped wrong, and a stick cracked. The noise almost sounded like a gunshot in the nearly silent area of jungle the cats and pigs were in. Then the canopy erupted into an angry chorus of screeches and howls, as the monkeys, who until now hadn't noticed either cat, suddenly saw the Jaguar.  
  
The mother boar snorted and raised her head, calling her piglets to gather behind and under her as she turned to face the Jaguar, her tusks gleaming. She pawed the ground defiantly and squealed a challenge to the cat.  
  
The Jaguar, having no desire to be gored, turned to disappear into the underbrush. But that was her second mistake. Turning her back on the mother boar. Because the pig, enraged that the cat would even dare to get THAT close to her piglets, decided to charge.  
  
The female Jaguar turned back around, but the pig was already too close.  
  
But it didn't count on there being a second cat in the area.  
  
Spike let out a blood-curdling roar, and leaped from the trees. His full weight slammed into the mother boar, and his claws dug deep into it's flesh, ripping at the screaming animal as he fit his mouth around the back of it's neck and sank his fangs in deeply. Within an instant, the boar stopped struggling.  
  
The piglets, smaller than the mother boar, had scattered in all different directions, pushing their way under and around the rotting logs that had trapped their mother. Spike absently realized that, without their mother, the piglets probably wouldn't survive the next night. But that wasn't his problem. What WAS his problem was the Jaguar that was now mere inches from him.  
  
Spike swallowed, releasing the limp body of the boar, and stepped away from it. The Jaguar seemed confused by his actions, and didn't move to take the pig, or to walk away from it. If anything, she appeared to be sizing him up. Green eyes locked on gold, and the two cats stared at each other for a long moment. Spike slowly swished his tail. He was bigger, and stronger, and would most likely win in a fight. But he didn't want to fight the Jaguar. And she didn't seem to want to fight him, either. If anything, she simply seemed confused by his rescuing her. And he didn't have to think very hard to figure out why.  
  
Cats in the wild are solitary animals, with the exception of lions. All other species tend to come together only during mating season, then go their separate ways, most likely never to see each other again. Even during a mating season, it wouldn't really be a normal thing for one cat to save another's life. Especially not two different species. In fact, the panther's instincts had gone completely against what Spike had just done. If the boar had killed the Jaguar, he would've been able to eat her. And if the Jaguar had won the fight, he would've easily been able to steal the boar's carcass from the undoubtedly wounded Jaguar.  
  
But Spike was SPIKE, first and foremost. He'd always known when to trust his instincts, and when to completely defy them. Up until this point, the panther had been right about everything. But this time, it had been wrong. It might not have had a moral code, but Spike did. And Spike was the one in control. Saving the Jaguar had been the right thing to do.  
  
And now, the right thing to do was to walk away, and leave her the boar that had nearly killed her. So that's what Spike started to do.  
  
He backed away from the Jaguar, far enough to ensure himself that he was out of her pouncing range, then turned to walk away. But he was stopped by a quiet whuffing sound from behind him. The vampire turned panther stopped in his tracks, and slowly swiveled his head around to look back at the Jaguar.  
  
She had her jaws around the boar's leg, and was attempting to drag it in his direction, making the quiet whuffing sounds the whole time.  
  
Spike tilted his head, then slowly came back over to the Jaguar. He made a low, rumbling sound, and seized the pig's other leg in his mouth, waiting until the Jaguar let go of hers... then he swung his head and gracefully allowed the pig's body to drape over his back. The boar was nearly as big as the Jaguar herself. She never would've been able to move it on her own. And, to make things a tad more interesting, she seemed almost happy that he had accepted what she obviously meant as a gift.  
  
Spike just stood there, blinking at the other feline, until SHE started to turn and leave. Now it was his turn to call her back. "Wait," he said quietly, and was amazed to hear the same whuffing sound the Jaguar had made earlier come out of his panther mouth.  
  
The Jaguar stopped, turning her head to blink back at him. It was then that something clicked in Spike's mind. The Jaguar and Panther are very close cousins. It would make sense that they would share a partially common language. It also made sense that the sounds his panther mouth made in response to his mental words would BE the panther equivalent of what he was saying silently.  
  
In other words, he could TALK to the Jaguar.  
  
"Look, luv," he said quietly, the new realization making him a bit bolder, and he took a step toward the Jaguar, careful to keep the boar's body balanced on his back. "There's plenty of meat here for both of us... N'for my friend back at the river. Why don't you come back with me? We can share, n'you can be on your way. Debt repaid. How does that sound?"  
  
The Jaguar blinked her emerald green eyes at the panther... then slowly fell into step beside him as they started back for the river. Invitation accepted.  
  
"Now all I gotta figure out is how to explain this to Angel..."  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"Are you COMPLETELY insane?!", Angel snarled at the panther. "She's a JAGUAR. She could eat both of us! She could eat ME!!"  
  
The wolf and panther were several yards away from where the female Jaguar lay near the boar's body. She'd had no qualms about taking the parts she wanted the moment Spike had put the dead animal down back at the 'camp' by the river, and was now sitting calmly next to the ripped open corpse, licking the blood off her paws and fangs. She didn't seem fazed at all by the snarls, growls, and low howls that the injured wolf was spitting at Spike, nor by the wolf's presence. In fact, she'd basically ignored the canine since she and Spike had returned to the river. But that hadn't stopped Angel from seeing the potential danger this gold furred feline could cause.  
  
Spike sighed and shook his head. "For the fourth time, mate. She just ATE. And she offered me the boar. What was I supposed to do? Just take it and leave her there? She takes a LONG time stalkin' her prey, Angel. She never would've brought down another animal before sunset."  
  
Angel growled quietly. "I respect your compassion for her, Will. It's admirable, even. But she is DANGEROUS. Did you SEE how she ripped into that pig? What if she decides to do that to one of us while we're asleep!"  
  
"She won't," Spike said quietly, and the assurance in his 'voice' made Angel pause in his tirade.  
  
"How can you be so sure?", Angel finally asked, exhaustion starting to take it's toll on the wolf again, as he laid back down and regarded the panther with intelligent brown eyes, full of worry.  
  
Spike just shrugged, and looked at where the Jaguar was now taking a nap in the sun near the riverbank. "Because I just know. She owes me her life, Angel... She isn't just some dumb animal. I don't know how to explain it, but... I almost feel like I KNOW her."  
  
Angel just sighed, finally giving in. "If she comes close to me," he muttered. "Or even looks like she's CONSIDERING biting or clawing me, I just hope I survive to say 'I told you so'."  
  
Spike smiled as best the panther body could, and leaned down to give Angel a playful lick on top of the head, which the wolf quickly recoiled from, sputtering. "Thanks, mate. N'just to show you how right I am 'bout this, I'm gonna go bring you somethin' to eat."  
  
Without waiting for Angel's response, Spike trotted over to the boar and grabbed a large hunk of thigh muscle in his mouth, ripping and tearing at it until it came loose from the bone. Then he carried the hunk, almost as large as his head, over to Angel and laid it in front of the sulking wolf. "There you go, Peaches. Dinner's served."  
  
Angel sighed and regarded the hunk of raw, bloody meat on the ground in front of his nose. Reluctantly, he latched his jaws onto it, holding it still with his paws, and began ripping off hunks and swallowing them whole. "For the record?", he mumbled around the meat in his mouth. "I'm going to be extremely happy when we get back to where the only part of a pig we have to eat is the blood."  
  
Spike just chuckled, and headed over to the carcass to rip off his own dinner.  
  
The Jaguar, surprisingly, chose to stay with them that night. Spike, trying to make Angel feel safer, laid down between the wolf and Jaguar, though she was actually several yards away from them. And, as the panther dozed off, intelligent green eyes regarded him interestedly.  
  
He reminded her of someone.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
(Author's Note: Okay, so this chapter was a little longer, and probably a bit confusing. I apologize. But trust me, I AM leading up to something. And I'd like to thank everyone for the new reviews (four of them) that were submitted to Let Her Rest. I apologize if this fiction seems to be turning into nothing but an advertisement for that one, but that is REALLY my favorite... Think two more of you could review, so it would be up to ten? I'd really appreciate it. Thank you. –Darkwolf) 


	9. But You Can Always Try To

"Can't Top an Exit Like That"  
But you can always try to...  
  
Buffy woke up with a start, and regarded her surroundings. No matter how often she woke up in her new room at the Watcher's Mansion, she could never quite get used to how different it was from what she still thought of as home... An empty room at the bottom of a crater, blown to pieces... Sunnydale would always be home.  
  
She sighed, and sat up, absently wondering how long she'd been asleep. Letting her mind drift slowly, she recalled her latest dream, and considered what Giles might make of the fact that, for once, she hadn't dreamed about that day on the Hellmouth. In fact, this dream had been a type of dream she hadn't had in over a year. A Spirit Guide dream.  
  
As a Slayer, she possessed two Spirit Guides, unlike the rest of humanity, who tend to only possess one. A Guide is usually an animal form, one that shares many traits with the human being. The Spirit Guide that belonged to her purely human self... To Buffy, was a Cougar by the name of Grnew, who she'd actually met in person during a vision quest three years earlier. Her other Guide, however, belonged to the part of her that linked her to thousands upon thousands of other girls throughout history. It was a Slayer Guide. Like her cougar, her Slayer guide was a big cat, as well... But a deceptively small one.  
  
A Jaguar.  
  
From time to time, as everyone does, she would have a dream through one of her Guide's eyes. Usually the dreams came when she was facing some large impasse in her life. Some hurdle that it just didn't seem possible to get over. Something would happen in the dream, that she would reflect on later, and find the answer to the question that had been plaguing her. But this dream, while obviously a Guiding dream, didn't seem to have any direction to it what so ever, and that confused her.  
  
She got up, sighing to herself and absently straightening her hair. Slipping on a pair of slippers and a robe, she left her room and headed for the kitchen. As the kitchen was one of the places in the mansion that she wasn't supernaturally lead to, she had to think in order to find it. Getting back to her room, however, would be a lot easier.  
  
A Grandfather clock in one of the many hallways slowly bonged away the hour. It was three in the morning, and Buffy had a class to teach at six. Perfect, she mused to herself upon finally reaching the kitchen. All I have to do is get something to drink, get back to bed, and get up in three hours to play at feeling normal.  
  
Piece of cake.  
  
The Slayer sighed to herself, as she slowly sipped at a glass of milk. Giles would be angry with her for sitting on the counter, but she liked to do that. It was another thing that Spike did on a regular basis, and doing it herself, like the little growl he'd taught her, reminded her of him.  
  
Like that panther in her dream had.  
  
The Jaguar had no name. Not like Grnew, whose name had come to Buffy the first time she'd seen the cat. Later, Giles had told her that not everyone's personal Spirit Guide HAS a name, so she should have felt very lucky that hers did. Still, sometimes she wished that she could refer to her Slayer Guide as something other than 'the Jaguar'. It made it rather difficult to put into words what happened in the dreams, without having anything with which she could refer to the small cat, other than 'her', or 'she'.  
  
She chewed absently on a piece of string cheese, staring into space and considering the events of that Guide Dream.  
  
She'd been hunting. But that wasn't all that uncommon. Most of her Slayer Guide dreams involved some sort of hunt. The Slayer guide was supposed to provide direction for that part of her life. Only this time, something had gone wrong. The Jaguar had been hunting a wild boar, with the intent to avoid the adult and take a piglet. This was normal, Buffy considered, as, if that had simply been all the dream WAS, it would've told her that something was coming. There would be a big bad, and not so big bads... And the not so big ones were the ones that she would need to focus on. That, she could've easily interpreted, and been on the lookout for the fulfillment of her Guide's warning.  
  
But then the dream had changed. The Jaguar had made a mistake in her hunt, and had nearly been killed. This, also, was a common Slayer dream. It meant not to underestimate her opponents, and only came when she was in danger of doing so.  
  
But that's when the panther had, quite literally, dropped in.  
  
Her Slayer Guide was solitary. Barren, she had never needed, nor desired a mate. Therefore, Buffy had NEVER seen another cat, of any species, in any of her Guiding dreams. With Grnew, on the other hand, Buffy was fully aware that her Cougar mated almost every spring, and had at least one cub every other year. That was her human biological clock ticking. Or, at least, that's how she'd always interpreted those dreams. But this... Even the Jaguar had seemed startled by the panther's presence.  
  
It was a male panther. She'd known that almost instantly, just from the scents that accompanied the dream as a rule. During any Guiding dream, she felt, saw, smelled, and heard everything her Guide did. She was used to feeling the Cougar or Jaguar instincts, but one thing she wasn't used to was the Jaguar being surprised. She... wasn't easily caught off guard, just like Buffy, herself.  
  
She'd watched the panther take down the boar, and the two had stared at each other for what seemed like the longest time. There was something in that panther's gold eyes that had just... A part of her almost felt like it was dying, and another part felt complete. Her emotions, for the first time, had warred with the Jaguar's instincts. The Jaguar wanted to run, even when the panther offered her the kill and moved to leave. But Buffy had taken control, and forced the Jaguar not only to stay, but also to offer the meal back to her savior.  
  
The panther seemed confused, at first. That didn't surprise her. The Jaguar herself was confused, and more than a little anxious. What did surprise her happened when she finally started to give control back to the Jaguar, and allow the cat to leave... And the panther had called them back, offering to share the meal.  
  
The Jaguar had been wary, but her hunger had overridden her fear, and she'd followed the panther back to the river.  
  
There, Buffy simply sat back and watched through her Guide's eyes, as the Jaguar ate her fill of the boar, and laid down to clean her paws and teeth. Off to the side, through one of the swiveling ears, she heard what almost sounded like a dog. But when she forced the Jaguar to look, all she could see was the Black Panther's back.  
  
It was the first time she'd ever had a Guide dream that she couldn't make immediate sense of. Especially since she felt as if she KNEW that panther from somewhere... He reminded her of Spike, in an odd sort of way. Vicious, and dangerous... But with a gallant, chivalrous side that no one but her ever really saw.  
  
Confused, and finished with her cheese and milk, Buffy hopped down off the counter to wash her glass, and headed for the library. Something told her she was going to need Giles' help on this one.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Angel groaned quietly as he woke up, the stiffness that his wounds caused making him ache all over. He blinked slowly, finding his chin resting on something soft and warm, and slowly turned his head until he could see the black fur of the panther neck that was under his head. For once, the elder of the two didn't pull away from his Childe. Instead, Angel just sighed softly and let himself relax for the moment, his mind drifting.  
  
The pain was lessening, as the days went on and Spike continually applied the healing mud to the wolf's wounds. And as his pain left, it allowed Angel's mind to freely focus on the problem at hand. Namely, they were animals, and no one knew where they were.  
  
The wolf's tongue absently flicked out as his mind wandered, and he licked lazily at the fur behind Spike's ears, without even realizing what he was doing. Or that Spike was awake enough to be conscious of his Sire's touch... evidenced by the way the base of his tail was slowly starting to fuzz out like a happy housecat.  
  
Angel began slowly weighing the possibilities. On the one hand, this seemed to have something to do with the drawing he'd made on the plane. And if it didn't, it was a damned huge coincidence. On another hand, even if it DID have something to do with the drawing... What was it? One minute, they'd been on the plane, the next, in a jungle, and in bodies that definitely weren't theirs. It didn't make any sense.  
  
Angel had no memory of a crash, or of anything other than feeling rather sleepy suddenly. The indication there was that they'd been drugged. But, now that he thought about it, that was impossible... They hadn't eaten or drunk anything the entire day. That left some sort of spell. Which, now that he thought about it, was probably exactly what was going on.  
  
The only question was, what was the purpose of the spell?  
  
Angel couldn't answer that, so he started absently nuzzling his snout against the back of Spike's ears. "Spike... Spike, wake up."  
  
Golden eyes slowly opened, and the softly purring panther blinked lazily at the graying wolf paw that was draped over one of his own. "Mm?"  
  
Angel sighed, resting his head on the panther's neck again, not willing to give up his warm, and quite comfortable spot just for his pride now. "I think we might be under some kind of spell... Maybe something was cast on the plane... Or even before we left."  
  
Spike nodded, slightly unseating Angel's chin from the back of his neck in the process. "Figured as much..." He sighed. "Guess s'too much to hope for that this is all just one bloody elaborate dream, huh?"  
  
Angel gently grabbed Spike's ear in his mouth and tugged. "Don't think so."  
  
The panther made a face, and rolled slightly onto his side, pawing at the wolf. "Leggo."  
  
Angel, suddenly realizing that, the more he moved, the less he hurt, didn't let go of his companion's ear. "No... Hey. It doesn't hurt when I do this..."  
  
Spike growled. "That's because you aren't pulling on your own EAR. That is attached to me, mate... Let GO!" Spike shoved at the wolf with a paw, then smirked and dropped the paw down and under his canine companion... and tickled Angel's stomach.  
  
Angel yipped, and released the panther's ear in the process, then gave Spike a sour look, before laying back down. Spike only grinned at him.  
  
"Learnin' how to have fun, Peaches?"  
  
The wolf growled halfheartedly, but stretched lazily next to Spike. "Not for lack of trying not to," he muttered good-naturedly, but his brown eyes were dancing a bit as he regarded the panther.  
  
Spike chuckled, then rolled over and got to his feet, stretching and heading over to the partial boar carcass that still remained on the riverbank. It was then that he realized their other feline companion had disappeared. He felt a bit sad at her leaving, but he knew she probably had other things to take care of. He gripped one of the two remaining legs of the pig in his mouth, and jerked hard until he felt the hip give way. He carried the large leg over to Angel, and laid down with it between them, absently gnawing on it.  
  
Angel watched him for a moment, before settling down and pulling hunks off the other side of the boar leg, and the two ate in companionable silence. Finally, as he swallowed a particularly big piece of flesh, Spike said quietly, "Do you think we should leave the river?"  
  
Angel considered this for a moment... more than a little surprised that his Childe was actually asking his opinion... then shook his head. "No... Not really. Where would we go, anyway? We haven't seen any evidence of a plane crash, so there's no way of finding wherever it went down... IF it went down... And we have water, and food here..."  
  
Spike just nodded, sitting up and going back to grooming himself with his tongue and paws. "Yeah... So what do we do, then? Just sit here and hope someone finds us?," he mumbled between licks.  
  
Angel sighed, gnawing at the boar leg bones absently, holding them in place with his paws. The longer he stayed in the wolf body, the more comfortable he was becoming with it... But that still didn't mean that he was going to allow it's primitive instincts overwhelm him. "I have no clue... But I figure we'll think of something eventually."  
  
Spike sighed, and leaned down to lick a bit of blood off Angel's snout, without even thinking about the action. "I hope you're right, mate."  
  
Angel, for his part, didn't react to his Childe's gentle lick, except to turn his snout slightly to give the panther better access. "So do I, Spike."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * (Author's Note: I don't really know what to say, this time, so I'll leave it at this... I don't know how much longer this story is going to be. It seems to have evolved from a five-chapter story into an epic. Also, if I might ask anyone who has a Neopets account, my Zafara and Techo are in the Beauty Contest this week. The links are:  
  
Zafara:   
  
Techo:   
  
Thank you for voting. I appreciate it. –Darkwolf) 


	10. But Try, Anyway

"Can't Top an Exit Like That"  
But try, anyway...  
  
Giles sighed and leaned back, removing his glasses and rubbing at the bridge of his nose. He gazed down at his Slayer, who was seemingly engrossed in another book, lying on her stomach on the floor. Or, at least, she would've seemed engrossed in it... if he hadn't been able to hear her snoring quietly.  
  
"Buffy?", the Watcher whispered, gently nudging at the Slayer's book with the toe of his shoe. "Buffy, wake up."  
  
"Engh," the Slayer mumbled, and reached over her head to swat the offending shoe away from her head.  
  
Giles couldn't help but smile a bit. Some things never change, he mused to himself. Buffy had always gone to sleep during study or research sessions. It was part of the Slayer's physiology, actually, to help make up for the fact that she was awake all but two or three hours of the average night. He'd made a point never to bother her about it for that very reason. Especially since she also seemed to possess the uncanny ability to understand everything she'd supposedly been reading, even when he knew for a fact that her eyes had been closed for the majority of the session.  
  
Still, this was her project. And he needed to ask her something. "Buffy," he said again, this time a little louder.  
  
"Mmph," she mumbled, then, rolling onto her back, "Don't touch the corn muffins..."  
  
Giles raised an eyebrow... then closed the book on his lap with a loud clapping sound. Finally, Buffy started awake... Giving off a little growl of surprise as she did so, which Giles chose to ignore. "I hope I didn't ruin the corn muffins," her Watcher said teasingly.  
  
"Huh?", the sleepy Slayer mumbled, blinking up at him, her face a picture of confusion, but Giles only chuckled.  
  
"Nevermind." He sighed, then leaned forward in his chair and opened the book again, holding it open for her to see. "This is the only thing I can find about anyone encountering another's Guide in a dream, Buffy... And the other person was actually ALIVE." His voice got a bit softer. "Also, the two were soul bonded mates... Like you were with Angel. I seriously doubt that panther you saw was Angel... and nothing I can find suggests that there's any way it could have been Spike."  
  
Buffy made a soft sound and pulled the book from his hands. "There has to be some reason, though, Giles... I KNEW that panther... It was him... His Guide, anyway." She looked up at her Watcher, suddenly curious about something. "What happened to Grnew and the Jaguar when I died before? Did they just... disappear?"  
  
Giles shook his head and sighed. "No... They are real animals, first and foremost, Buffy. All that happens to them when their Guided dies is that they go back to living the normal life of... whatever creature they are. Their lives are no longer bound to their Guided, and consequently, they're no longer immortal. But when you came back, both Grnew and the Jaguar reattached themselves to you. They only aged a few months while you were gone."  
  
Buffy raised an eyebrow. "So you're saying that, if Spike's Guide WAS this panther, then it still could be alive?"  
  
"Without the connection to the Guided," Giles said quietly. "It would behave as any other panther would. And it certainly would show no favor to another cat entering its territory. You may have encountered someone's Guide, Buffy... But there's no way it could have been Spike's."  
  
Buffy shook her head. "No. It would HAVE to be someone I know, Giles. You said yourself... Soul mated bonds are what it took the last time something like this happened-"  
  
"And your soul mated bond is with Angel," Giles interrupted sternly. "NOT Spike."  
  
Buffy winced at that, as she knew for a fact that Angel's Guide was not... and had never been a cat. Of any kind. "Wouldn't it be... possible to have TWO soul mated bonds?", she whispered, blinking up at Giles with her wide, 'I'm-just-an-innocent-little-girl' eyes, that always had touched something deep in Giles heart.  
  
Her Watcher sighed, but slowly shook his head. "It has never happened before in recorded history, Buffy," he said quietly, his tone softer now... But then he offered her a small smile. "But that doesn't mean it couldn't POSSIBLY happen... What is it that Xander's so fond of quoting?"  
  
Buffy smiled. "There isn't a history of something before it happens. Then there is," she said with a quiet smile. "I forget what movie that's from."  
  
Giles just nodded, and then sighed, leaning back in his chair. "In other words... the only way we'll ever know for sure is if your Guide chooses to grace you with another guest appearance of that mysterious panther." He raised an eyebrow pointedly, motioning to the clock on the wall... which showed nearly two a.m. "And that will only happen if you go to bed."  
  
Buffy pouted, but nodded, putting the book she'd been napping on back on the shelf, then headed out of the library and for her room, calling a goodnight to Giles over her shoulder. She was rather tired, she considered as she walked up the stairs. And it really wasn't surprising. She hadn't gotten much sleep last night... Especially considering that one tends to wake up from a Guiding dream as if they'd actually expended all the energy the Guide had. Add that to the full day of Slayer training, and now this late night study session, and it wasn't really surprising that she was sleepy.  
  
She changed into her pink piggy pajamas, in honor of her MIA pig, Mr. Gordo, turned off the light, and crawled into bed. She yawned as she settled against her pillows, and closed her eyes, soundlessly praying that tonight, her Jaguar would choose to make her presence known once again.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Spike growled quietly, and scratched absently at an itch behind his ear. By now, it felt like second nature to be able to touch his face with his foot.  
  
That morning, he'd decided that the boar carcass was simply too decayed to be entirely safe to eat from anymore, so he'd rolled it to the water's edge and allowed their old friend the Crocodile to have the leftovers. Now, he was on the hunt again, but since he hadn't been able to find the Jaguar since she'd disappeared the other morning, he was being forced to use every skill the panther body possessed to track and bring down something on his own.  
  
And, after an entire morning of hunting, he'd finally found something. A duiker. One of the world's smallest antelope, the duiker was really no bigger than a miniature dog, but there was enough meat on it to satisfy both the panther and his wolfen companion for at least a day. The problem was that the little thing was incredibly skittish. He couldn't seem to get close enough to it to successfully set up any sort of pounce. And Spike was beginning to get restless.  
  
He was downwind, and had been crouching in the same spot for nearly an hour now. The duiker was coming his way. The wind carried its scent directly to his waiting nose. But the little creature was moving agonizingly slowly. Spike had chosen a perfect place to set up his one pounce kill, but his muscles, having been held tense for almost an hour, were starting to ache. It would all be worth it when the duiker walked into his trap, he continually told himself as he resisted the urge to scratch again. Something was tickling the hell out of his ear, but he refused to even flick it to shoo the offending insect away.  
  
As tends to happen when one tries consciously to hold completely still, his body was being assailed by an amazing amount of itches, tickles, small pains, and inexplicable urges to sneeze that were almost enough to drive the waiting panther insane. But the worse thing by far was that... that THING on his ear. It was very close to pushing him over the edge.  
  
But, suddenly, there it was. The sound he'd been listening for. The soft sound of tiny hooves on dry leaves, moving slowly toward him. He tensed, his renewed focus banishing all thoughts of the maddening sensations from his head. He slowly unsheathed his claws, and his whiskered lip curled back over his fangs as the duiker came within reach. He waited until there was no possible way he could miss, then sprang from his hiding place.  
  
His timing was perfect, and the tiny antelope's body was dangling from his jaws mere moments later, as he started back for the river. He was feeling rather proud of himself for bringing the small animal down all by himself. For having hunted it without another creature's help. But that thought again turned his train of thought to the mysterious Jaguar.  
  
Where had she gone, he wondered constantly. Did she have cubs nearby? Maybe a den? Or was she simply a wanderer? Was this her territory, and he and Angel were trespassing, taking her prey? Or was SHE the one passing through the territory of their bodies? He had no answers, and longed to see those beautiful green eyes again long enough to actually GET some.  
  
He was so preoccupied that he didn't even see the carefully disguised deep hole dug in the ground, before he was falling. It felt like an eternity, and the yowl his body let out in fright startled all the creatures in the canopy above into silence. When he finally hit the bottom of the pitfall trap, he groaned quietly. The impact had dislocated something, and he'd hit his head on the way down.  
  
He had just enough time to let out one roar, coupled with a mental scream for help, before his injuries got the better of him, and the black panther passed out, his hard won duiker corpse lying in the trap beside him.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
(Author's Note: Sorry both for the short chapter, and for the cliffhanger, friends. My day off this week happened to be Friday, and starting tomorrow, I'm going to be working straight through until next Sunday. Some time thereafter, I will be able to write again. Expect a new chapter then, and thank you for reading and reviewing this one. –Darkwolf) 


	11. Let’s Hope This Isn’t An Attempt

"Can't Top an Exit Like That"  
Let's Hope This Isn't An Attempt...  
  
In a clearing, by a river, a wolf was slowly waking up. The jungle sounds were fading from their daytime noisiness, to the dusk chorus of birds and other animals, softly singing the green world to sleep. The wolf shivered, and raised his head, brown eyes widening as he realized how late it was... And that his panther friend hadn't been back yet.  
  
Angel sat up slowly, then stood up and turned in a circle. Not only was Spike not THERE... even his scent had faded, to the point that Angel was certain that he hadn't been back all day. And that worried him. More than it should have, considering that a few days before, he'd seen Spike as nothing but an annoying irritant sent to disrupt his already insane life.  
  
Now, he couldn't imagine life without the younger vampire.  
  
The wolf slowly moved around the clearing, his nose to the ground and ears unconsciously lying back against his head. No. Spike had left that morning, to get food. He'd told Angel that he'd be back in a few hours... But it had been far more than a few hours. And all that lingered of the panther's scent were tiny traces. Angel slowly moved his tail, the action more subconscious than conscious now, an indicator that the wolf was thinking.  
  
If Spike was still out hunting, then he'd have to be back soon. If he wasn't back by the time it really started getting dark, he would start tracking the panther. If he screwed up his companion's hunt... Well, going hungry would be a small price to pay for knowing that Spike was all right.  
  
The wolf was so focused on picking up the panther's scent, that he didn't even see the curious green eyes that were watching him from just inside the nearby foliage.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
A wolf?, Buffy thought in confusion. I'm not looking for a wolf... Why did you bring me here?  
  
The Jaguar's instincts didn't provide an answer. In fact, her Guide was strangely silent tonight. Buffy had the sinking feeling that she was actually very much on her own. This was her quest... Not a true Guiding dream. So it was perfectly normal that her Jaguar would mostly stay out of it. Still, it gave her a sinking feeling of loneliness that refused to go away.  
  
She watched the wolf, though. Something told her that he was almost as important to this as the panther. So she waited. And she watched. And she hoped the panther would come back soon.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Spike groaned quietly, his gold eyes slowly blinking awake. Pain racked his body almost immediately. From his throbbing head, to the dull ache in his shoulder where the bones were no longer in their proper places. The cold, stiff body of the duiker he'd killed earlier swam into his vision as his eyes cleared a bit more. And it was followed by a wall.  
  
Slowly, the panther raised his head and looked around, taking in his surroundings slowly. The pit was relatively small, but incredibly deep. One wall had collapsed slightly, and formed a bit of an incline, but Spike knew immediately that his shoulder wasn't in any shape to attempt to get out of the pit. So the first thing to do seemed rather obvious... He needed to pop his shoulder back into place.  
  
He knew how he'd go about it in a human body, of course. Ball and socket joints are relatively easy to relocate. But cats don't have ball and socket joints in their shoulders. They have sliding joints. And, if he wasn't careful, he could shatter his own shoulder in the process and ensure his own death in this dark pit.  
  
Pushing himself up on his three good legs, he limped over to one of the walls. The top of the pit had been amazingly well shielded from the almost constant rains that plagued the forest above, and the walls were dry and hardened because of it. All except for the slanted wall, which had encouraged drainage, and was rather muddy, along with the floor of the pit. But a coating of leaves and rocks kept the panther out of the worst of the mud. He approached the wall slowly, and rotated his good shoulder a bit, getting a feel for how the bones were attached.  
  
For once, the cat in his head was silent. As if it had given up. An injury like this, to a normal panther, would spell death. And the instincts that shared the body with him knew that. But Spike was never one for giving up. If the odds were bad, he'd fight. If they got worse, he'd fight harder. And he was always sure he could win. But this time, with his feline instincts being silent for the first time in days, a sick sense of loneliness was creeping up on him. He could very well die in this pit. In a body that didn't even belong to him.  
  
And worse than the pain in his shoulder and head, was the ache in his heart when he realized that Angel was still in no condition to hunt. If he died, he'd be condemning his Sire to death as well. A lingering death from starvation, at that. Spike set his jaw, and swooshed his tail slowly. He would not let that happen to Angel.  
  
He slowly pushed his injured shoulder against the wall, gritting his teeth to keep from crying out at the pain of bone grating on bone as the shoulder moved. But it WAS moving... He panted, breathing coming in snorts through his nose as he continued to push. The pain was blinding now, and all he could see was a literal red haze clouding over his vision... And he noticed that the red haze was slowly turning gray.  
  
He was passing out, he realized. The pain was too much for this body, the panther not being as resistant to pain as his vampire form. But just a bit further... Just a little more, and it'd be over... He just... had to... stay... awake...  
  
No animal in the jungle was close enough to hear the small 'pop' that preceded the thump of an unconscious body hitting the leaf strewn floor of the pit.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
As the sun slipped below the horizon, a lone wolf slipped off into the jungle, following the scent trail left by a Black Panther. And he remained unaware of the gold-furred, green-eyed jaguar that followed him from a distance.  
  
Angel tracked Spike deep into the jungle, all worry and thoughts of how he might find his way back to the river out of his mind as he focused on finding his Childe. His ears swiveled slowly atop his head, listening for any sound that might indicate that the panther was close. The longer he walked, the more worried he became. Spike had been gone for over twelve hours by now, without even so much as checking in as he had the last time he'd gone hunting.  
  
The wolf put the lingering pain of his old wounds out of his mind as he focused on the scent trail before him. After about an hour, he came upon the place where Spike had killed the duiker. Curious, he sniffed around the area for awhile. So. Spike had made a kill... But then he hadn't come back to the river... Why? Where was he? Something bad had to have happened. Angel was sure of it. Gone were the doubts about his Childe's intentions. He knew now that there was no way Spike would have just abandoned him. They cared too much about each other now. They needed each other, and Angel was ready to admit it.  
  
His tail swished slowly, and raised his head, checking the air for any sign that the panther was still close... But there was nothing. Nothing beyond a partially cold trail that lead back in the direction of the river. Angel sighed, and started to follow that trail... But froze, suddenly feeling as if he was being watched.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Buffy inwardly cursed herself for stepping on that stupid twig. She knew the wolf she was following hadn't picked up the almost silent sound of the twig breaking probably, but he had stopped for SOME reason... And was looking in her direction.  
  
She crouched low in the underbrush, wishing that her Jaguar had the ability to become invisible. The tip of her tail itched to twitch, but she wouldn't allow it to move, no matter how agitated she got. She wished the wolf would just let it go, and get back to tracking the panther. She had been connecting the dots while she followed the wolf, and everything was slowly starting to fit together.  
  
This wolf had to be the source of the barking sounds she'd heard that night she'd spent with the panther by the river. The wolf was the panther's friend. And that meant that it was most likely another Guide, if the panther truly WAS Spike's Guide. So who was the wolf? That was the one thing she hadn't figured out. It didn't belong here... There weren't wolves in this jungle, she was certain of it. So this one was out of place... and with the panther. It had to be someone Spike knew. It was male, she knew that for certain, so there was no way it could've been Dru, or Harmony, or any of Spike's vampire 'friends'. Guides always keep the same gender as their Guided. So a male. With a canine Guide. If the wolf had been white, she almost could've sworn it was Angel. But... it was gray. A dirty, muddy gray. With healing wounds all over it's body.  
  
Besides. Angel HATED Spike. Animal or not, Guide or not, the two would never interact like this. And Angel would certainly never head off into the night to find Spike. So that couldn't be it. It had to be someone else.  
  
And the wolf had started moving again, so Buffy pushed herself up out of her crouch and followed after him. When he found the panther, she'd ask him who the wolf was. It was a benefit of both being cats, that they could understand each other. At least through their Guide's instincts. She had no hope of being able to speak to the wolf, so she didn't even bother trying. Instead, she followed on in silence.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Angel followed the panther's trail, now fully aware that another creature was following him. But he sensed no malice from the animal, and the sensation felt almost the same as it had felt when the jaguar that Spike had brought to their camp a few days earlier was looking at him. So, he figured that it was most likely her. Spike trusted her... And he was feeling good enough that he was relatively sure that he'd be able to fight or run if she DID attack. So he decided just to let her follow along. Who knows... He might wind up needing her for something.  
  
Angel suddenly froze, and his eyes widened. The wolf's instincts had just SCREAMED at him to stay still. To not take another step. He had no idea what was going on, but if Spike had taught him one thing recently, it was that the animals knew this place better than they did. The wolf wasn't trying to dominate him... It was trying to protect ITSELF. Therefore, there was no reason for him to fight it anymore.  
  
And something was telling the wolf that Angel was on the edge of very real danger.  
  
Oh, how he longed for his vampire eyes. The sight that could cut through the darkness like it was noon on a sunny day. But the wolf was a daylight hunter. It's eyes weren't used to low light, and he couldn't see well enough to find out what it was that had his body stiff and legs locked.  
  
But the Jaguar could.  
  
Desperate to continue on, Angel turned and looked back, shocking the jaguar by locking eyes with her, even as she tried to hide from him. "Please," he whispered, the words coming out as a soft whimpering whine from his wolf snout. "I won't hurt you... I need your help. I can't see... I have to find him. I have to find Spike, and I need to be able to see... Why does his scent end here? Why does it just drop off like that? Help me..."  
  
The jaguar blinked at him slowly, then carefully slipped out of the bushes and approached him.  
  
Angel swallowed, but he couldn't help being impressed by the way the cat moved. She had such a beautiful way of moving. And as she slipped through a shaft of moonlight, shining down through the trees, he felt his breath catch in his throat.  
  
Buffy?  
  
But no... That was impossible... Wasn't it? Why did a cat remind him of his Slayer? But... she did. Maybe it was the green eyes... Or the way she moved like she could take on anything and win. Or maybe it was the way she was looking at him. With wariness, but a willingness to trust in her eyes that nearly sent the wolf to his knees. Suddenly, he understood why Spike had been so captivated by the beautiful cat. It was like she was Buffy, in feline form.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Buffy was slightly unnerved by the way the wolf was staring at her... But if he was the panther's friend, then he had to be worthy of trust. How she knew that, she didn't know... But as her green eyes locked with his brown, she suddenly felt like she was falling.  
  
Angel?  
  
No... No. It couldn't be. Not the way he'd been interacting with the panther, if it really WAS Spike. But... but those eyes... Those deep, soulful brown eyes. She knew the wolf, too... And it was almost all she could do not to launch herself at him and try to kiss the wolf. But she restrained herself, taking a deep breath, then reached deep inside her own soul, for the mated bond she still carried... and when she touched it, it was as if she'd been blind and suddenly could see. But, more importantly... she could HEAR.  
  
"...to be able to see... Why does his scent end here? Why does it just drop off like that? Help me...", the wolf was saying... In Angel's voice.  
  
"Angel?", she responded in a whisper, speaking along their long dormant bond. A bond she had just reawakened.  
  
The wolf froze, and those beautiful brown eyes widened almost comically as the two animals stared at each other. "Buffy?", he asked finally, his voice a mixture of disbelief and awe. Then, almost before either of them could think, they were together. Buffy nuzzled her jaguar's head up under the wolf's chin, feeling like she would be crying if the body would allow it.  
  
Angel was licking at her ears, the same way he had for Spike not too long ago, and nuzzling as much of his body against her as he could, the two turning in tight circles in their reunion. Angel's tail was wagging, but he felt choked up. Buffy! Here! He wasn't alone... He and Spike weren't alone... Buffy was here... She was...  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
...Here... He was here... Angel was really here. Buffy didn't feel like she could breathe, and she knocked the wolf to the ground in her excitement, nuzzling her head against his furry chest and blinking up at him, the two wrapping their paws around each other in the closest thing to a hug either could muster. She couldn't believe she had dismissed it so quickly earlier...  
  
And the two were so wrapped up in each other, that the startling sensation that had caused the wolf to stop in the first place was almost forgotten... As, for the moment, was the panther lying unconscious in a pit, less than three yards from where the wolf and jaguar lay.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
(Author's Note: This was NOT where I intended this chapter to go, but the characters seem to have a mind of their own. The Buffy/Angel reunion is where this chapter ends, but it is by far NOT the end of the story. Please read and review, and I promise to have another chapter up next week. Thank you. –Darkwolf) 


	12. Or Maybe You Can

"Can't Top an Exit Like That"  
Or Maybe You Can...  
  
Buffy still couldn't believe Angel was here. Now that the two were so close together, she could see that what she had mistaken for gray fur was actually white fur covered in mud and dried blood. But the fact that the wolf was dirty didn't bother her. It was Angel. He was really here...  
  
She felt almost as if she'd lost control of her body. Her paws were kneading at Angel's furry side, in a way that apparently tickled, from the way he squirmed a bit, and she was licking just about anywhere she could reach. Her rough tongue gently grooming the dirt and blood from the wolf's face and ears as they laid together on the forest floor.  
  
Having been relatively silent ever since their reunion, Angel finally stopped licking back at the Jaguar long enough to form a few words. "How did you get here, baby?", he said softly, his 'voice' almost a whisper, as if he were afraid to speak loudly for fear that it would make the Jaguar vanish.  
  
Buffy paused her own licking... but that only encouraged Angel to resume his, going back to gently licking her neck... The same spot that, on her human body, still carried his scar. "I'm not here," she said quietly, and smiled internally at the confused look that Angel gave her. For once, it was HER turn to be cryptic. "And neither are you."  
  
Angel just blinked at her, then shoved gently at her with his paws. "You feel pretty 'here' to me, Buffy."  
  
She shrugged and 'grinned' at him. "I am. But I'm not, either."  
  
The wolf made a face at her, sitting up. "And I thought I was supposed to be the cryptic one."  
  
Buffy giggled, the whuffing sound her Jaguar made in response eerily similar to the way Spike's panther laughed. "It's my turn."  
  
He sighed, then smirked and pounced at her, using his paws to knock her onto her back and pin her down, smiling when she squealed and swatted at him playfully. "Explain, little Slayer," he taunted playfully, nipping at her ears and pulling gently on one when he succeeded in getting it into his mouth.  
  
Buffy laughed and shoved at him again, then dropped a paw and tickled his tummy to make him let go. "Stop it!"  
  
He moved off her and made a face again, laying his ears back against his head in mock anger. "ME stop it? You're the one that keeps tickling me."  
  
She giggled again and sat up, then shook herself and stretched slowly, grinning at him. "I know. But it's an easy way to get you to leave me alone." She walked a slow circle around the wolf, nuzzling against him, her jaguar body purring softly as she did so. "And I did explain. We're here. But we're not. It's kind of simple, actually."  
  
Angel sighed. "I've been here for... God. Over a week now, I think. Living in the body of a wolf, Buffy. I'm here."  
  
She sighed and sat down, raising a paw to touch at his now white wolf face, smoothing down a bit of fur that was sticking up. "Yes. Your mind is. But the body isn't yours... It's your Guide's, Angel. We talked about this... I guess this is what you get for never believing me that you HAVE one."  
  
The wolf blinked. "But... But I've never had a Guiding dream. And a WOLF? Come on."  
  
The jaguar rolled her eyes and tapped the side of his head with her still raised paw. "I TOLD you it was a white wolf. And you have had Guiding dreams, Angel. You just never consciously REMEMBER them. We've SHARED one before, when I was using Grnew. And in THAT place, your wolf was perfectly at home. Wolves like you belong in North America. Not... Well, this is either South America, or India. And with the panther around, I'm thinking it's India. But that means that * I * am out of place. So I really don't know where we are."  
  
Angel just sat down, absorbing all of this. When he thought about it, he COULD remember waking up and feeling surer about a course of action, but never knowing WHY. Having a Guiding dream and not remembering it would make that make sense. But now... Well, he was conscious NOW. So why hadn't he woken up yet? Curious, he posed the same question to Buffy.  
  
Buffy sighed. "When Giles taught me about Guides, he told me that they sometimes don't allow you to wake up until you've gotten the point of the dream. Maybe you just haven't, yet. Or maybe my presence is throwing something off. I don't know. I do know that you have NOT been here for a week. Guides have... a bit of control over time itself. Just because I'm here, doesn't mean I'm having the dream at the same time you are. Let's use a little test. When you were... yourself, last, what was the date?"  
  
Angel considered for a moment, then said quietly, "March 23rd."  
  
Buffy blinked, then sighed. "Well. That's a little further removed than I expected. It's... two weeks earlier where I am. March 2nd."  
  
The wolf's eyes widened. "So even if I told you where I am... There's no chance that you could find a way to come wake me up?"  
  
Buffy sighed and shook her head. "Then again, several days have passed where I am since I was here last... It could be that you're on my time, somehow. And until the two timestreams catch up, we won't be able to do anything to help each other."  
  
Angel sighed and laid down, covering his face with his paws for a moment and curling his tail around himself. "Perfect." He blinked up at Buffy, and his eyes widened when he realized she was backing away. "Buffy?"  
  
She shook her head. "I have to wake up... I can't do it in sight of another Guide. I'll be back, Angel. Don't worry... I promise I'll be back." She turned, and disappeared into the brush, but her voice floated back, and Angel couldn't help wagging his tail at her words. "I love you."  
  
"I love you too, Buffy," he whispered, somehow knowing she was already gone. But she'd be back. And, more importantly, he knew what was going ON now. Wait until Spike- Uh oh. SPIKE! He'd completely forgotten about his missing Childe in his excitement over seeing Buffy again. And now that the sun was coming up, he could actually SEE now.  
  
And what he saw didn't look good.  
  
They call it a Burmese Tiger Trap. But it looked like it could conceivably capture any animal unfortunate enough to wander into it. And the disturbed vegetation around the edge of the deep pit showed that some animal had done just that.  
  
A feeling of something Angel could only describe as terror gripped his heart as he slowly moved to the edge of the pit. He prayed silently to Anyone who might listen that he wouldn't find a dead panther in the bottom. Some Burmese Tiger Traps actually have sharpened spears of bone in the bottom, designed to kill whatever fell in. And the closer he got to the pit, the tighter that icy hand gripped his heart. Images of a panther body, impaled on spears of bone and wood, lying broken in the bottom of the pit, floated through the wolf's suddenly overactive imagination. By the time he reached the edge of the pit and saw the panther print at the edge, his wolf body was shaking so bad that he was almost in danger of falling into the trap himself.  
  
But the sun hadn't risen high enough for him to see the bottom of the pit clearly. However, he did smell blood. And a scent that his wolf nose identified as carrion... Dead meat. He laid down on the edge of the pit and called down into it, hoping against hope that he would get an answer. "Spike? Spike, please say something... Spike, I know you're here... Please..."  
  
But only silence greeted him from the deep hole in the ground. Angel felt lost, a pain unlike anything he'd ever known gripping him tightly. If Spike was dead... If he'd lost his Childe... No. He wouldn't... It was a DREAM. Spike couldn't die... Right?  
  
Right?  
  
Wolves don't cry. Their eyes lack true tear ducts. But there is one sound a wolf makes that has been described as one of the most mournful sounds in nature. The howl of a lone wolf. And Angel, overcome by grief and pain, threw his head back and let out a long, low howl that made every creature in the canopy above fall silent. When he followed that with another howl, longer and lower than before, the surrounding creatures stayed silent. No one was willing to disturb the grieving wolf.  
  
And down in the pit, the echoing howls were the first thing two black ears had heard since the body that they were attached to fell unconscious at some point the previous afternoon...  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Spike groaned softly, blinking awake slowly. He blinked blearily at his surroundings, and his nose reeled at the scent of the decomposing Duiker near his head. The small body was succumbing to the ravages of decomposition faster than the larger boar carcass had in the days earlier, and the stench in the bottom of the pit was growing. Even if the wolf howl hadn't startled the unconscious panther awake, the scent would have eventually acted like smelling salts and accomplished the same feat.  
  
He shifted his wounded shoulder and winced at a lingering pain... but it was far different from the piercing pain when the joint had been dislocated. It was back in place, the only pain left the residual aches of distended muscles. He pushed himself into a sitting position, and groaned when the action caused his head to swim. It was quite possible that he had a minor concussion. Not serious enough to be life threatening, but definitely serious enough to give him a hell of a headache.  
  
Raising a paw, he rubbed his head absently, then blinked, realizing what woke him up. A howl. A WOLF howl. "Angel?"  
  
On the edge of the pit, the wolf had been inhaling deeply in preparation for another howl, but the shock of hearing Spike's voice caused the wolf to choke. His eyes widened and he peered down into the pit. "Spike? Spike, are you okay?" He felt like he was going to howl again, this time out of pure joy. Spike was alive! He was okay! Wasn't he?  
  
"Bit the worse for wear," came the panther's voice. "But I'll live... Assumin' I can get out of here before the stench of this bloody duiker chokes me."  
  
Angel sighed. So THAT was the smell. Not dead panther... Dead duiker. And that meant they again had no food... But Angel didn't really care. Spike was okay. And he now needed to get his Childe OUT of the hole before whatever made the hole came back to check their trap. For all he knew, it could have been poachers. "Okay... Hang on. I'm gonna find something that we can use to get you out of there... A vine, or something..."  
  
A quiet laugh came from the pit. "Angel, mate, I appreciate the sentiment, but I don't have hands. I can't climb a rope. See if you can knock a long log or somethin' down in here. THAT, I can climb." He blinked. "Oh! And try to get it to the other side from where you are... The side over there slopes. It'll be easier to climb."  
  
Angel nodded, then headed into the forest to find a suitable log. After a few minutes, he found a log, and started shoving against it as hard as he could before it finally began to roll. But that presented him with another problem. Now that it was rolling, he needed to find some way to steer... AND some way to STOP the thing before it simply rolled into the pit and crushed his Childe.  
  
He darted around in front of it and skidded to a stop, hopping up onto his hind legs and bracing his front paws against the log, forcing it to stall. That worked. Now to learn how to steer... Moving to one end of the log, he pushed it to get it rolling again, then darted around and pushed the OTHER way on the opposite end. The resulting pull/push action caused the log to turn. And to roll slower. Now that he had it under control, it took another half an hour to steer the long hunk of wood back to the right end of the pit. Then he moved around and pushed hard on the far end, so that the closer end slid down the sloping side of the pit... and created a ladder for the panther. "Okay! Try to climb it now."  
  
Down in the pit, Spike watched in amazement as the log came slowly down the slope to him. He carefully put his front paws on the wood, and dug his claws in, then began the slow, painful process of pulling himself up the twenty-foot tree. His shoulder screamed in protest, but he pushed on. There'd be plenty of time to rest once he got OUT of the pit. After a few minutes, he reached the top of the log... and was still a good five feet from the top of the pit. "Bloody hell... Back up, Angel. I'm gonna have to jump."  
  
The wolf backed up obediently, and his eyes widened when the panther leaped out of the pit, his paws scrambling on the muddy ground so that he wouldn't fall right back in. Without thinking, Angel darted forward and grabbed the scruff of his Childe's neck in his mouth, stiffening his legs and pulling hard to get the larger, heavier cat to more stable footing. The move was risky, and obviously not well thought out, for if Spike lost control and toppled back into the pit, he would surely drag Angel WITH him this time. And the wolf didn't have the capabilities to climb the tree, or jump five feet straight up from the top of it. But the risky ploy paid off, and the two animals collapsed near the side of the pit, not too far from where the wolf and jaguar had laid fewer than four hours earlier.  
  
And Angel couldn't believe how happy he was to see Spike. Before he could stop himself, he was licking at the panther's ears and trying to wrap his paws around the large cat, almost the same way he had greeted Buffy earlier. And Spike was so shocked at the affectionate actions that he didn't know what to DO... So he did the first thing that came to mind. He snuggled close to the wolf and mewled under the attentions, arching his back and nuzzling against his Sire, his gold eyes closing in pleasure as the wolf licked at his ears.  
  
Angel's tail was wagging faster than it had since he began allowing it to do so, and he was mumbling things he was almost certain he'd want to take back later... But for the moment, he didn't care. "I was so worried, Spike... When I smelled that, I thought... I thought you were gone, and I didn't know what to do... I never even got to tell you..." He started looking Spike over, though his tongue continued lapping at any patch of panther fur that presented itself. "Are you hurt? You're okay, right? Can I do anything?"  
  
Spike, for his part, felt as if he were melting. Angel cared. He beyond cared. He was taking CARE of him... being interested, and almost... almost loving. And Spike didn't know what to do except lay there and let the wolf do whatever he would. "Yeah... Yeah," he mumbled. "I'm fine, Angel... Really. Shoulder's a bit sore, n'I have a headache that would kill a moose, but other than that..." Spike almost gasped when Angel whimpered worriedly and placed a paw on his injured shoulder. "THAT would be the sore one, mate..."  
  
Angel winced and moved his paw, licking apologetically at the spot. "Sorry... I didn't mean... God, Spike, I was so worried."  
  
The wolf continued fussing over his feline companion for a couple more hours, and he seemed to have forgotten the other person who had shared the jungle with them only a few hours earlier. But, undoubtably, he would remember her eventually. And what he had to tell Spike.  
  
Though IF he would tell the panther... Well... That remained to be seen.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * (Author's Note: Okay. I'm sorry that this is a couple of days late, but I forgot that this last Sunday was Easter, and I wasn't able to do any writing. Hopefully I'll be able to get the NEXT chapter out a bit faster. Also, my Techo is in the Neopets Beauty Contest again, and the URL follows: ?pet=Tortock If you have a Neopets account, I would greatly appreciate the vote. Thank you.) 


	13. How About An Ending?

"Can't Top an Exit Like That"  
How About An Ending?  
  
Buffy growled quietly to herself, pacing at the foot of her bed. It had been almost a week since her last Guiding dream had revealed to her the wolf Angel. And she continually was cursing herself for NOT asking him who the panther WAS. She couldn't believe she'd forgotten. And now her Guide was refusing to let her go BACK to talk to him again. She'd PROMISED she'd be back... She'd been having those damned dreams almost every NIGHT... until she found out that the wolf was Angel. Now her Guide wasn't even putting in an appearance.  
  
She'd spoken to Giles about it, but all her Watcher had to offer was that it was most likely ANGEL that had drawn her into that world, and the fact that she'd simply seen the nameless panther first was just some kind of painful coincidence. But Buffy refused to believe that. If being the Slayer had taught her one thing... Besides that life tends to suck, of course... It had taught her that most things happen for a reason. She simply couldn't accept that the Spike-like panther had simply been a method of reuniting her with her first love.  
  
And yet, until her Guide decided to make another appearance, she had no choice but to wait. And to worry.  
  
Who knew what could happen to two animals alone in a jungle?  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
In a jungle, near a river, a black panther laid motionless on his side. One paw was over his eyes, and his body was deathly still. Not even the tip of his long tail twitched. His side barely moved with his breathing, but that was the only thing that indicated that the dark creature was even still among the living. Rather thin, his ribs were beginning to show through his black coat. Hunting hadn't been good recently, and it was taking it's toll on the once magnificent creature. All alone in the world, the panther would most likely starve to death within the next few days.  
  
Not too far away, two soft brown eyes peered at the panther, and a wolf, his coat once again white, stepped out of the shadows, dragging the back half of a whistling deer carcass from it's jaws. The wolf slowly approached the panther, and gave a soft 'woof' to get it's attention. The panther blinked at the wolf, then at the food the strange animal carried. Forcing itself to sit up, it slowly accepted the offering from the wolf, as the canine slowly backed away and disappeared into the underbrush.  
  
Angel sighed quietly to himself as he made his way back to his and Spike's camp, where the other half of the deer corpse rested. It was so sad how quickly things could turn from bad to worse for people, or animals. As he slipped out of the brush again, farther upstream and in more familiar surroundings, he couldn't help but 'smile', however.  
  
Spike, in far better condition than the other panther down the river, was lounging in the sun by the deer corpse. They'd spotted the other panther while they were hunting that morning, and both felt a pang of recognition. The previous week since Angel had rescued his feline companion from the pit that had almost become his grave, neither had been in good enough condition to hunt. Near starving, they'd finally wound up braving the large crocodile's territory in an attempt to catch fish. The gamble paid off, and soon the fish's protein rich bodies were providing them with the sustenance they needed to heal. A few days earlier, they had finally gone hunting... Together, for the first time since they got there, and found that two heads... and two toothy jaws, are far better than one. There was a small population of whistling deer in the jungle, and while the animals were far too big for either of them working alone to hope to bring down, the two together had made a sizeable kill on their first try. And on every try since then.  
  
However, that morning, they'd seen the other panther... The only other cat besides the Jaguar that they'd seen in the jungle... And this one was obviously in trouble. Old and feeble, it couldn't hunt anymore, and it's body was slowly giving out. Angel and Spike had agreed that half of their next kill should go to that panther... If only to make his final hours a bit more comfortable. Angel had been elected to deliver the food, for the sole reason that the sight of another panther... and one far younger and in much better condition than itself, might actually scare the dying panther. So the wolf had gone to be the delivery boy.  
  
Angel stretched slowly as he walked over to where his companion was laying on his back in a sunbeam. The wolf smirked to himself, walking silently over to his Childe. Spike was FAR too relaxed... He'd have to do something about that.  
  
Sneaking closer, the wolf dropped into a crouch, the same motion he used for hunting, and stalked toward the dozing panther. His eyes were fixed on the soft spot in the middle of his Childe's stomach, and he couldn't stop his tail from wagging slowly behind him as he crept toward the panther. The moment he was close enough, the wolf pounced... and started tickling his Childe with his paws, kneading at the panther's sensitive tummy.  
  
Spike made a screeching sound that scared every creature in the above canopy, and even made the fearsome crocodile duck underwater... then he broke into helpless whuffing laughter, shoving at the wolf with his paws. "Gerroff! Ahh! Angel! Stop!"  
  
Angel just laughed and kept kneading, until the panther managed to flip them, and the two animals went rolling down the riverbank, both laughing now.  
  
Ever since Spike's rescue from the tiger trap, the two had started playing like this often. Tugging on each other's ears or tails, swatting and wrestling with each other until both were exhausted, or covered in mud. It was fun, as well as serving as a way of strengthening their Sire/Childe bond. When Angel thought back on the way he'd treated Spike only a few weeks earlier, he felt what could only be described as shame. His Childe HAD been trying to get close to him, but Angel had only pushed him away. It had taken the realization that he could've lost Spike, to finally show him how much he really cared for the younger vampire.  
  
The realization had started when Spike had risked his own life diving to save Angel from the crocodile on their first day in the jungle. Discovering that Spike cared enough about HIM to do that had stirred something deep within the older vampire. The next turning point had been the way Spike put up with his... Bitchy-ness, after being injured. Spike was obviously frustrated with him, but he didn't let it show. Every night, he had changed the wolf's makeshift bandages, licking at his ears to distract him from the painful way the dried mud pulled at his wounds and the fur surrounding them. Every night, he'd curled his larger panther body around the shivering wolf to keep him warm. And slowly, Angel began to realize that Spike really did care.  
  
Then came the moment that it hit Angel that he could've lost his Childe in that pit. That was enough to push him finally into full Sire mode. Spike was under his protection from now on... He wasn't going to let anything happen to the panther. And while he didn't know if he'd risk his own life for Spike yet... And hoped he'd never have to find out... He DID know that he'd do almost anything to help his companion.  
  
And yet, throughout all of that, the wolf still hadn't told the panther who their mutual acquaintance in the jungle really was. In fact, Angel hadn't even MENTIONED the Jaguar to Spike since getting him out of the pit. Partially, it was for selfish reasons. Angel liked being the only one who knew that Buffy was there. And while he had told Spike what Buffy told HIM about them being in a mutual Guide dream, he hadn't explained how he'd arrived at that conclusion... Or how he knew that they'd only be stuck there another week at most. Spike had been frustrated at first, but he had eventually just accepted what his Sire told him. It wasn't like he had too many other options.  
  
Tired from their play, the wolf and panther had settled down near the remains of their dinner, but Angel was still absently chewing on one of Spike's ears. The panther, however, was purring softly and keeping his head tilted, as the wolf's teeth actually felt quite good. He stretched lazily, and swished his tail, feeling the comfortable weight of Angel's front end propped up on his shoulders. The wolf sighed softly and finally released his companion's ear, only to rest his chin atop the panther's furry head, the two just resting comfortably against each other.  
  
"Angel?", Spike mumbled after awhile, his yellow eyes drifting closed.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I know this is a dream, n'all, but I still don't get the Guide thing... Or why we have to be gone two weeks."  
  
Angel shook his head, nuzzling his chin against the top of his Childe's head. "Can't explain it... I just heard something about it from someone."  
  
Spike sighed. "Most likely Wes," he mumbled.  
  
Angel cleared his throat. "Yeah... Something like that."  
  
Spike rolled his eyes upward, but he couldn't see the wolf dozing against him without moving... and he was far too comfortable to move, so he just settled down again. "And the Guide thing?"  
  
Angel licked lazily at a bit of Spike's fur that was sticking up, mumbling, "Everyone is born with an animal Guide. Call it what you will. Sprit Guide, Guiding Animal, etc. People have them from the moment they're born. But in the last five hundred years, people have stopped trying to deliberately contact their Guides. The Native Americans might still do it, but not many others bother. However, Slayers, and just about anyone who can be labeled a Warrior, Hunter, or Champion, has a tendency to connect with their Guide whether they want to or not."  
  
The wolf paused for a moment, considering how to phrase the rest of this, then started again. "Buffy always told me that I had a Guide, and that she knew what it was... But I would never let her tell me. I didn't like the idea of some animal giving me directions on my life. I still don't."  
  
Spike chuckled. "So THAT'S why you were so weird 'bout listening to your wolf instincts that first week."  
  
Angel nodded, taking his Childe's ear back into his mouth and chewing gently. "Yeah. I feel like an idiot now, though. All the wolf's been trying to do all along is HELP me... I realized that Guides are just that... They're GUIDES. They aren't dictators. It's up to you whether or not you decide to take their advice. And I figure, in this world, the wolf knows better than I do."  
  
Spike purred a bit louder and tilted his head for Angel again, closing his eyes and letting his tail fuzz out behind him. "Good. 'Cause I was getting tired of havin' to rescue you every time you tried to get a drink."  
  
Angel made a face and gave the panther ear in his mouth a playful tug. "Remind me again who fell into a PIT?"  
  
Spike snorted. "One time thing. I'm bein' more careful where I step from now on." He yawned quietly, and rolled onto his side, partially dislodging the wolf from his back, and blinked up at his Sire. "You know... when this dream ends, I'm gonna be kind of sad. I've gotten used to this place...To these bodies, even."  
  
Angel nodded, laying down next to his panther companion and snuggling against the cat's warm tummy. "Never thought I'd say this, but I agree with you. There are a lot of things we can do here that just... I doubt we'll be able to continue doing back in the real world."  
  
Spike sighed and looked at the wolf. "Like this, you mean?", he said quietly. "Just... layin' together. Relaxing. We won't be able to play anymore, either."  
  
Angel sighed, but didn't open his eyes. "That's not true. We can always tell people that it's just a Sire/Childe thing. Most likely, that'd get them to leave us alone."  
  
"Except for Wesley. You know he did his senior thesis in Watcher School 'bout the relationships between Sires and Childeren."  
  
The wolf gave a quiet growl. "We'll deal with him if he bothers us. If he doesn't, then I'm just going to ignore him." He licked at the fur of Spike's tummy, making the panther arch a little bit and purr louder. "I'm not letting anything come between us again. I don't want things to go back the way they were."  
  
Spike relaxed more than he had since they started this conversation. Even he couldn't believe how soothing it was to know that Angel WASN'T going to go back to ignoring him and pushing him away when they got back. Finally, his presence at Wolfram & Hart would be justified. More than justified... He was WANTED. And it was his Sire who wanted him. Without thinking, he wrapped his paws around the wolf and hugged the smaller predator tight to him, making Angel give a quiet yip of surprise... followed by an almost mewl of contentment. Spike's actions had pulled him comfortably against the panther's tummy and chest, giving him a perfect place to snuggle.  
  
Angel would've purred, had he been a cat, or had his normal body. But as it was, he just closed his eyes and relaxed. "Goodnight, Spike," he mumbled quietly.  
  
"G'night, Angel," the panther responded quietly, closing his eyes as well and settling down for the night. Really, in some ways, this was even better than what he'd planned when they'd set out to go see Buffy originally. The only thing that could make this better was if Buffy had been there, too.  
  
But even Spike realized that was something that was quite a long shot.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Buffy paced at the end of her bed impatiently. She'd done the Guide ritual, to FORCE a Guiding dream from her Jaguar... And had gotten her cougar, instead. Sometimes having two Guides was just annoying. To make matters worse, she couldn't force another dream for a month... The drain on her Guide would've been too much.  
  
The Slayer sighed. She was completely exhausted by now. Jaguar or not, she was going to have to get some sleep. Muttering to herself, she crawled back into bed, giving up on ever getting back to that jungle and seeing Angel... or the mysterious panther again.  
  
But sometimes, giving up tends to trigger things that can't be forced. As if sensing that she was ready, when Buffy opened her eyes, she found herself in her Jaguar's body, standing at the edge of a clearing by a river. And in the clearing lay an eaten half of a deer carcass, and the softly snoring forms of Angel... and the panther.  
  
Buffy blinked, starting toward them, then she stopped herself. They looked so comfortable... It made her feel a bit confused, though. She KNEW the panther was male... Maybe the two were just snuggling like that for warmth. It WAS a bit cold, there. She decided that she'd ask Angel about it in the morning. Slowly, she slipped up beside the sleeping pair, and laid down next to the wolf. The night was almost over, and if she slept in her Guide body, she'd most likely wake up when the other two animals did.  
  
Maybe then she could get some answers.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
A mile or so away, deep in the jungle, another kind of hunter crouched. A powerful rifle laid on the ground near him, as the human stared at the mesh of pawprints near his carefully prepared trap. There was a dead Duiker in the bottom of the pit, and a log pushed down into it. A log with panther claw marks on it. And all around the edge of the pit were the prints of a Jaguar, a panther... and a wolf. The hunter furrowed his brow in confusion, then picked up his gun.  
  
Wolves don't belong in this type of forest. He knew that. And that meant that this one was incredibly rare... And that made valuable. Almost as valuable as the panther and Jaguar.  
  
A slow smile crossed the man's weather-beaten face. This would be a good day to hunt.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
(Author's Note: I'd just like to point something out, this time. I said, WAY back in the second chapter, I believe, what kind of fic this would become, were I to continue it. So I'd appreciate it if people would stop saying "I hope this doesn't turn into... kind of fic", because it isn't turning into anything. It is what I've said it is from the very beginning. My ship happens to be B/A/S, A/S, as well as B/A and S/B. I said a long time ago that this fic would contain at least HINTS of all those ships.  
  
On another note, thank you to whoever is telling me about the links. I keep forgetting about that. You have a chance to vote for my Skeith this week, if you're on Neopets. * grin * HERE is the link, just turn the 'dot' into .'s, and you'll be fine. neopets 'dot' com/beauty/details 'dot' phtml?pet=Raixtok You also have to take out the spaces. Oh, and if anyone's interested in my art, you can see my gallery on deviantart. It's here: darkwolfuntamed 'dot' deviantart 'dot' com.  
  
Thank you for reading and reviewing. –Darkwolf) 


	14. Please, Don't Try

"Can't Top an Exit Like That"  
Please, Don't Try...  
  
Buffy woke up slowly, without really knowing what it was that woke her up. It was just a vague feeling... But it was enough to feel more than a little disturbing to the Slayer... and to her Guide. Raising her head, she considered the wolf and panther still lying next to her. They didn't show any signs of waking up any time soon, so she assumed she had a little time to check out the source of the strange feeling that had awoken her.  
  
The Jaguar pushed herself to her feet and stretched slowly, casting a longing look at the sleeping panther and wolf. Hopefully, her Guide would give her the time to figure out what had it spooked, as well as get some time with Angel... and find out who the mysterious panther was.  
  
The jaguar slowly made her way through the jungle, slinking through the underbrush, her tail twitching behind her. The closer she got to the point where she'd left Angel the other day, the stronger the disturbed feeling became. Her instincts screamed for her to stop, and she knew better than to disobey her Guard. Stopping in her tracks, she got her first good look at the Burmese Tiger Trap, and realized quickly that the animals weren't as alone in this jungle as they'd originally assumed.  
  
The entire area reeked of human, Buffy realized, her ears laying back in disgust. She'd NEVER smelled more than just the vaguest scent of humans in her Guiding dreams before. And every time she did, it became increasingly obvious to her why vampires and most demons with highly acute senses of smell found humans disgusting, in a lot of ways. There were so many unattractive things that comprised a human's scent... But what was getting her attention at the moment was one part of the scent in particular.  
  
Gunpowder.  
  
The jaguar backed slowly away from the Tiger Trap, swallowing and swishing her tail. More disturbing than the scent of human itself, even added to the revelation that there was also a GUN involved, was the fact that the scent was fresh. Very fresh. Possibly even within the last five hours.  
  
Buffy tilted her head and considered the animals in the canopy that were slowly waking up. They didn't seem to be alarmed. And if there was one thing being a Jaguar had taught her, it was that the canopy animals are always the first to spot and alert others to the presence of dangerous predators. She could relax, for now... But she would have to tell Angel about this, and quickly. Turning, she trotted back the way she had come, careful to leave as few clear tracks as she could, now that she knew there was a hunter around. There HAD to be something that could be done about this... But for now, the warning was the first priority.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Back by the river, Angel yawned quietly to himself, waking up slowly. The wolf stretched lazily, then burrowed his snout into the fur of Spike's neck, nibbling at it a bit in a soothing grooming motion. Spike responded with a soft purr, but didn't seem inclined to wake up any time soon. Angel just chuckled a bit and settled down again, letting his tail thump happily on the ground behind him.  
  
Absently, the wolf began considering what they would do today. The first order of the day, and the most pressing one, would be to find food. The deer were moving on a bit, but that didn't mean that the pair, already having distinguished themselves as formidable hunters, wouldn't find something they could bring down quickly and easily. The group of duikers that they'd caught the scent of the previous day would make ideal targets.  
  
With that consideration taken care of, Angel busied himself with grooming the fur just behind his Childe's ears. He smiled internally when the panther gave a particularly loud mewling sound at his actions. Spike would be awake soon. If there was one thing Angel knew about his Childe, it was that there were approximately three ways of waking him up. One was to shove him off the bed. Another was to tickle him senseless, and the final way was to do ANYTHING to his ears. Lick, nibble, blow on them... It didn't matter. Anything and everything would work. Though, in the mood Angel was in at that moment, the more pleasurable options were the ones he decided to explore.  
  
And he was so occupied with his 'grooming', that he failed to notice the jaguar returning from her stint in the jungle.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Buffy stopped in her tracks and raised a figurative eyebrow at the scene by the river. She sat down and curled her tail around herself, letting the tip flip absently back and forth. Angel was licking the panther's ears. That, in itself, wasn't all THAT odd... What made it odd was the affection in the wolf's actions. Buffy let her head tilt to the side in an unconscious imitation of the oh-so-familiar gesture that Spike always used to convey interest or confusion.  
  
If the panther WAS Spike... or, at least, his Guide... Why would Angel be acting like this? Maybe he didn't know who it was... No. That was just stupid. He would've had to know, if he'd spent nearly two weeks with the other animal. So that brought up another question. WHY would Angel be acting like this with Spike?  
  
To Buffy's own surprise, she didn't feel repulsed by watching this... Or as if she were intruding. After all, her best FRIEND was gay, and, on top of that, she KNEW that vampires as a rule tend to be bisexual. So seeing her former boyfriend licking the ears of what basically amounted to another man didn't really bother her. In fact, something inside her secretly thrilled at seeing that Angel was feeling so much more relaxed with his vampiric nature. And if the panther WAS Spike, it actually made her feel better to see that he'd finally reconciled with his Sire. She knew, from a few of the unguarded moments they'd had together, that Spike's perceived loss of his Sire's affections had been a hard time in his life. He hadn't understood that Angel had gotten a soul initially, and instead had believed that the older vampire had simply abandoned him and Dru. It wasn't until the late 1930's that Darla had finally told him what REALLY happened.  
  
Spike had then allowed anger to cloud his vision. First, anger at the gypsy tribe that would dare to take away his Sire. And then anger at Angel for allowing it to happen. For not trying to come back. So when the option of killing Angel to bring Dru back up to full strength presented itself, of COURSE Spike was going to take the option. He'd hurt his Sire the way his leaving had hurt HIM. But Buffy had rescued Angel... and put Spike in a wheelchair in the process. That had more than ruined the plan.  
  
Then, though, Angelus had been BACK. But the older vampire's attention was still focused on the Slayer... and on Dru. He ignored and insulted Spike, worse than he ever had before. And it had hardened Spike's heart to both sides of his Sire. He'd once told Buffy that, if the opportunity ever presented itself, he would gladly kill his "ponce of a Sire"... If only he knew that it wouldn't hurt her.  
  
Spike had always been lead by love. His unrequited love for Cecily that had lead him to Dru. His love for Angelus that had turned to hate. His love for Dru that had ended in a painful breakup and rejection... And his love for Buffy. A love that had seen him change his ways, his heart... and even his soul for her. A love that had protected Dawn after Buffy had died... And a love that saw him through giving his own life to save her from doing it again.  
  
Buffy swallowed, still watching the two animals. She was downwind now, so even though the two were both awake... And playing, from the looks of it, neither of them had noticed the jaguar. Now she DID feel as if she were intruding. But, at the same time, she'd come to find out... And she needed to know who the panther was. If it WAS Spike... God. She had SO many questions for him... And so much to tell him. So much to PROVE to him, relationship with his Sire or not. If she could just get up, walk out there, and-  
  
And the panther was looking straight at her.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Spike's gold eyes were locked with the jaguar's beautiful green ones. He almost couldn't believe his luck. Here she was... the beautiful creature that had captivated him from the moment he'd first seen her... And she was looking right at him. Mesmerized, he slowly approached her, whuffing softly to let her know he meant her no harm. "Easy, kitten... S'just me. M'not gonna hurt you..." And the panther froze in his tracks when the jaguar stiffened and let out a very soft sound... Though it wasn't the sound that stopped him.  
  
It was the voice he heard in his head.  
  
"Spike?", Buffy barely breathed, her eyes locked with the panther's. It was impossible... Right? Spike was dead... But that was his VOICE she'd just heard... As clearly as if it had come across Angel's bond with her. Absently, she realized that's where it HAD to have come from. She'd never faced the panther with her bond with Angel open. And with her bond with HIM open, if HE could understand the panther, of course she could as well. She could hear him. She could hear Spike.  
  
"Buffy?", Spike swallowed, again taking a tentative step toward the beautiful jaguar. "Luv, is that you?"  
  
Buffy felt as if she couldn't breathe... And like she was going to cry, all at once. It WAS Spike... It was him... God, he was alive... He was right here... Before she could stop herself, she leaped at the other cat, much the way she'd 'attacked' Angel during their reunion days earlier. Only this time, it was Spike's snout and mouth that received the attention of her jaguar's tongue. As close to a true kiss as the two felines could come, they licked and nuzzled at each other until both could barely breathe.  
  
Both were making low whimpering/keening sounds at the back of their throats. Sobbing, cat style. And both had the bases of their tails fuzzed out as far as they would go. Spike hadn't spoken since he'd first uttered the Slayer's name... But Buffy just couldn't seem to shut up.  
  
And she didn't really want to, either.  
  
"God, Spike... Spike, I'm so sorry... I never... I had plans, really... I knew...", she couldn't stop herself from babbling as she smothered the black panther in licks and nuzzles, trying to hug him with her paws. "Should've warned you... Some part of me knew... I knew someone had to... I didn't think it would be you... God, Spike, I'm so sorry... I love you... I've loved you for a long time... I never showed... I'm so sorry, Spike... Please... please forgive me..."  
  
Spike, for his part, almost seemed baffled. WHAT was she apologizing for? He'd wanted the amulet. He'd known from the moment he got it the price that would have to be paid by the one who wore it. He knew the price of the title Champion. And he was willing to pay it... Because it made him HER Champion. He'd entertained the thought of getting out. Of receiving a hero's welcome back at the Scooby camp. But he'd known from the moment he saw how many Turok-Hans there were... He'd known that ONE would have to die. And he'd known it had to be him. And he was about to tell her just that, when the last few broken sentences of her babbling broke through his internal reverie.  
  
She loved him? He was HERE right now... He wasn't about to die. Didn't she know that? If she said that NOW, there wasn't going to be any taking it back... But she said it again. She KNEW what she was doing... And asking for his forgiveness? God... what did SHE have to be forgiven for? Purring soothingly, Spike began nuzzling and licking at Buffy's snout until he forcibly stopped her babbling. "Easy, luv... Easy," he whispered into one of her cute little black jaguar's ears. "Shhh... That's it, baby. Just calm down. I'm here..." He sat and wrapped a paw around her, hugging her tightly to him. "There, there, pet... I've got you. It's okay..." Then, softer, just because she really seemed to need to hear it, "I forgive you... It's okay, Buffy... It's okay."  
  
Angel, for his part, just sat a few feet away and watched the cat's reunion. Now, suddenly, he realized what he'd done by both not telling BUFFY about Spike... and by not telling Spike that he knew who the jaguar was a week earlier. When Spike realized that he'd KNOWN, he was going to be amazingly mad at Angel... And there was nothing Angel could do to defend himself. All he could hope was that Buffy wouldn't mention that he knew... But he knew what a long shot that was. Especially when the cats finally parted... and Buffy came RIGHT over to him and nuzzled her head up under his chin, not wanting to leave him out of the greetings, now that she was feeling a little more normal.  
  
Spike raised an eyebrow when the other two animals greeted each other... Without a word passing between them. Buffy knew Angel was the wolf? But how... The last time they'd been around each other, Angel had been YELLING at him because he thought the Jaguar was going to EAT him. So how... Unless... Unless they'd met 'officially' AFTER that night... And the only time Angel had been away from Spike long enough for that to have happened was when Spike had been trapped in that pit.  
  
And that was a week earlier.  
  
The panther's gold eyes narrowed as he watched the jaguar and wolf talk quietly a couple of feet away. Angel had known about this for a week. And he hadn't even MENTIONED it to Spike... Suddenly it made sense. Angel hadn't 'remembered' that he knew about Guides... Buffy had to have TOLD him... Which meant he'd LIED to Spike about where the knowledge had come from. Spike swished his tail slowly, his ears laying back.  
  
He'd been giving his Sire another chance. A chance to be honest with him. To prove that Spike could trust him. And then he went and did something like THIS? Spike didn't want to believe it. It hurt too much to even think that Angel STILL was keeping things from him. Especially things about Buffy. After all they'd been through... After Spike had risked his life at the jaws of that crocodile to save his Sire. After he'd helped the wolf heal when he would've died if he'd been alone. After all the nights they'd spent together now, just laying and talking... Yeah. It hurt far more than Spike would've liked. It would've been one thing if the deception had been a small one. But this definitely didn't qualify as small.  
  
And it wasn't as if Angel had simply forgotten. Spike would've been more than willing to give the older vampire a chance if the initial joy of finding Spike okay and rescuing him from the pit had caused him to forget... And it very well might have. But he'd had PLENTY of chances since then. And he hadn't taken any of them. He'd even gone out of his way, as he had the day before, to say that the Guide thing was just something he remembered. Spike growled quietly to himself... But he forced himself to straighten up and look normal when Buffy approached him again. His quarrel was with Angel... not the Slayer. And there was no way he was going to let himself ignore the joy of seeing her again just because he was royally pissed at his Sire. Again.  
  
Buffy purred softly, rubbing the length of her jaguar's body against Spike's chest, as the sitting panther's head was above where her smaller jaguar's could reach while standing on all fours. "I've missed you so much," she whispered to him. "You have no idea what these months have been like... You're a hero, you know..."  
  
Spike gave a soft snort, but laid down to let Buffy lay next to and against him, the jaguar's paws draping over his chest the way Angel's usually did. "Hero, eh? I'm guessin' the Scoobies were REALLY sorry to see me go." He winced internally, since that came out a bit more sarcastic and bitter than it had sounded in his head... Or, rather, how it had sounded when he THOUGHT it.  
  
Buffy blinked at him, seriously, and whispered, "Yes. They were." She smoothed a paw over Spike's soft chest fur, blinking down at the waves of fur intently. "We lost Anya, too, that day... Xander was crushed... He hasn't really been the same since... But when everyone... When I told them what you did... How you told me to get out... When I showed them my hand... Spike, we had a memorial service for you, and Anya. Everyone was there... Xander, Willow, Andrew, Giles... All the Slayers who were there that day... Everyone who knew you." She swallowed, and her mental voice dropped to a soft whisper. "I gave your eulogy... And everyone came forward to say something about you."  
  
Spike blinked slowly for a few moments, taking all of that in. One paw slowly smoothed over Buffy's head and down her neck, stroking her soft fur with the sensitive pads of his paw. "What... what did they say?"  
  
Buffy laid her chin against his chest and blinked up at him, still playing with his fur with one paw. "Well... Xander said he was really going to miss having you around to verbally spar with... And he said you were one of the bravest men he'd ever met. Giles said that, while he'd initially had misgivings about you... Your intentions, and your love had proved true in the end... And that he was sorry he hadn't taken the time to get to know you better."  
  
Spike swallowed, still slowly petting Buffy with one paw, as if assuring himself that she was really there. "S'that so?"  
  
She nodded, nuzzling him in the process. "Yes... Willow said that you had one of the strongest auras she'd ever seen... And that she wished she'd never doubted how much you loved me. She also said that, when you weren't trying to kill us, you really seemed like a nice guy... And that she was going to miss you. Then there were the Slayers... You know them. They didn't know you too well, so most of what they said was that you were strong, and a great sparring partner... And that they were gonna miss your particular brand of training."  
  
Spike gave a soft laugh at that. "You mean lettin' you knock me into random tombstones? Yeah. I've missed that, too."  
  
Buffy smiled and licked his snout gently before laying her head back down. "Robin was there."  
  
Spike's tail swished behind him. "Oh really? Bet he wasn't so nice with his few words."  
  
The Slayer smiled again and raised her head. "You'd be surprised. He said that you were the kind of person who made people rethink their stereotypes. Someone who, once you've met them, you don't look at others the same way again. Because if one vampire could choose to be good for the sake of love... Then maybe there was some hope for them as a species, after all."  
  
Spike blinked and sighed softly. "You're serious 'bout all this, aren't you." It wasn't a question.  
  
Buffy nodded and sighed. "Very serious..." She swallowed and blinked at him. "Where... where were you two when you found yourselves here? Before, I mean."  
  
Spike's ears rotated slowly, absently tracking the movement of a monkey in the above canopy. "On a plane... on our way to come see you, actually. 'Bout four hours out from landin' in London."  
  
Buffy blinked and whispered, "What day, Spike? When were you going to GET there?"  
  
Spike purred softly, but refused to look at Angel for help. He remembered, anyway. "March 27th. Around four in the mornin', London time. As for the airport... M'not so sure. But if you just had Red do a search for the ETA of a Wolfram & Hart jet, you'd know. There was only one out that day, 'cordin' to the rosters."  
  
Buffy blinked and whispered, very quietly, "That's tomorrow, where I am. That's in about twelve hours, actually..." The jaguar grinned and got up. "I need to wake up... I have people to organize... and a plane to go meet." She stepped back to allow Spike to roll to his feet, then sidled up to him, nuzzling and licking. "I can't wait to see you... the REAL you..." She smiled, stepping back and going over to Angel, licking and nuzzling at him in turn. "Both of you... You're going to get quite a welcome, if I have anything to say about it..."  
  
Spike smiled, and lowered his head to press his forehead to Buffy's when she came back over to nuzzle him... and he made a soft mewling sound when she nuzzled his nose, just the way she'd been planning to do that day that had never happened, all those months earlier. "I'm gonna miss you, luv..."  
  
She swallowed, and nuzzled him again, whispering, "I'm going to miss you too... But at least I know you're still here... And I AM going to see you again... Very soon." She leaned up and licked his ear gently, whispering, "I love you, Spike..."  
  
Spike whimpered softly and felt his panther legs go a bit weak at hearing that... and knowing she meant it. "I love you too," he whispered back, returning her gentle lick. "I'll see you soon, luv..."  
  
Buffy nodded, vehemently. "VERY soon." She backed away, then turned to nuzzle Angel, whispering a quiet 'see you soon', and Angel's own 'I love you', which the wolf returned as the jaguar slipped away, but she stopped suddenly and turned to them. "OH! I almost forgot... When I was out walking earlier, I smelled a human... with a gun. A hunter. I just want you two to be careful. I've never faced a human in a Guiding dream... I have no idea what he'll do, or if he even really exists... So just be careful, okay?" She waited until both the panther and wolf nodded, then whispered. "I'll see you two later," she breathed as she disappeared into the underbrush.  
  
* * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Spike watched her go, absently sensing Angel walking up next to him. The moment he was sure Buffy was gone, the panther turned suddenly and hit the wolf with a hard backpaw across the snout, that knocked the smaller animal to the ground. "You lyin' dog. And I don't mean that in a good way. How could you NOT TELL ME!?"  
  
Angel flinched, sitting up and rubbing his snout with a paw. He started to say that he'd forgotten, but he knew how useless that particular defense would be. "Spike, I'm sorry... I never meant to-"  
  
Spike growled. "Damn you and your 'never meant to's. This is the last time I let you lie to me, Peaches. The LAST time." The panther turned with an angry swoosh of his tail, and headed into the jungle. "I need some time alone."  
  
Angel sighed sadly and watched his Childe slip away into the jungle, his ears laying back and tail tucking between his hind legs. How could he have been so stupid? After all Spike had been through... After all the problems he'd had trusting Angel in the past, and he goes and does something like this? The wolf growled to himself, heading over into the sheltering shadow under a bush and laying down. Yes. He was an idiot. And if Spike ever gave him the chance, he would do more than make it up to his Childe. He made a vow, right then and there, that he would NEVER hide anything from Spike again... No matter what he wanted to do. But for now, all he felt was cold.  
  
And so very alone.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Spike stalked deep into the jungle, ignoring the screeches and cries of the animals in the canopy, protesting the presence of the big predator. Angrily, he slashed his claws at several trees, leaving deep gouges in the bark. Flying at one tree in particular, he reduced it almost to splinters. But that, it seemed, spent his anger.  
  
The panther walked slowly into a small clearing and sat down, looking up at the pale morning sky. If what Buffy said was right, this was their last day in this jungle. And in these bodies. Their last few hours with it being JUST them... And Spike was letting anger keep him away from the only person besides Buffy that he really loved. He looked back toward the river, then stood up and started pacing. He was justified, staying away as long as he wanted. What Angel had done was unforgivable...  
  
But so was leaving.  
  
"So what?", he thought to himself. "So I walked away. I have a right to. What he did was just..." He growled.  
  
"But you left," the growly, inner voice responded, the same voice that had originally convinced him to GO on this trip. "Just like Angelus left you."  
  
Spike snarled, swiping his claws at the air in frustration. "That's NOT the same thing."  
  
"Isn't it?", the voice pressed. "Angelus left you, because something in him had changed. And when he came BACK..."  
  
"When he came back, he wanted nothin' to do with me," Spike muttered. "Like I want nothin' to do with Angel."  
  
The inner voice gave a deep sigh. "Think about it, mate. Do you REALLY want to condemn yourself to a life without your Sire?"  
  
That gave the panther pause. Did he really want to live forever at odds with Angel? Over something... something so small, in the scheme of things. When he really thought about it, it didn't seem right... And he didn't want to turn into Angelus. The memories of how the older vampire's snubbing of him had felt were still strangely fresh. But even fresher were the memories of a gentle, warm tongue licking at his ears, and wolf paws tickling his stomach. Of playful wrestling, and hunting together, sharing kills. No matter how much he'd wanted those things from Angelus, the older vampire had never really delivered. Rarely, he might have been in a mood for something like that... But in the twenty some odd years Spike had really known him, the moments had been few and far between. He'd simply let his Sire worship cloud his mind to the way the older vampire REALLY treated him.  
  
No. He didn't want to turn into Angelus. And the only thing he could do to prevent that was to forgive Angel. It wouldn't be easy, and he knew it... But he had to do it.  
  
The panther swished his tail slowly and turned to head back toward the river. But something made him stop, while at the same time making the fur down his back stand on end. It took him a moment to place what it was.  
  
The canopy was silent.  
  
The canopy was NEVER silent. Even in the dead of night, there were creatures chattering and chirping. Not as loud as during the day, but they were THERE. Now... there was nothing. Even the wind seemed to have stopped blowing. Spike's ears laid back, and he curled his lip, backing up instinctively. There was something wrong... Something VERY wrong.  
  
And that was when he caught scent of the human.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The hunter smirked as he stared down the barrel of his rifle. The panther was BEAUTIFUL... And it's head would make a lovely trophy. But as his finger squeezed the trigger, the cat moved to jump... And let out a blood curdling screech when the bullet tore into it's back hind leg rather than it's heart.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Spike was knocked clean out of his leap with the force of the bullet, and it tossed him atop a fallen log nearby. Heedless of the pain in his leg, the cat scrambled and pulled himself over the log, then took off running as fast as his wounded body could go, knowing the hunter was right behind him. The point was driven home when another bullet whizzed past his ear. Terrified, in pain, and running for his very life, Spike's instincts knew what to do.  
  
"ANGEL!" The name was a cry of fear, pain, and desperation, and it tore through the long blocked Sire/Childe bond that had all but shut down so many years earlier when Angel initially got his soul. Though now it was laid wide open... and all that was shooting through it was Spike's fear... And his trust that his Sire could help. Somehow.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Back by the river, Angel's head shot up when he heard the gunshot, followed by a screech of pain. But he shot to his feet and took off running when his Childe's fear came through the bond. "SPIKE!"  
  
Angel pushed himself harder and faster than he'd ever run in his time as the wolf, flying over fallen logs and propelling himself around obstacles that normally would've taken him a few minutes to skirt. His Childe needed him... He was SCREAMING for him... Spike was scared... Spike was TERRIFIED... And there had been that gunshot...  
  
Suddenly, it hit him, not at all unlike HE had been hit with a bullet. The hunter. The one Buffy had warned them about. He was after Spike! The wolf redoubled his speed, and the entire canopy erupted in an angry chorus at the obvious predator's movements below.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Spike ran until he couldn't go any further. Ironically, his leg wasn't what stopped him, but, rather, the very river that had been their home for so long. He was further downstream, though... And the stench of death pervaded this area of the riverbank. Not too far from where he'd burst from the foliage, half a decaying carcass of a whistling deer was rotting... and not too far away from that, the body of the other panther who's life had finally given out some time the previous night. Spike felt strangely saddened upon noticing the other cat's corpse, then sobered with the realization that his body was very likely about to JOIN that of his fellow panther, when the hunter crept out of the trees.  
  
Spike tried to lunge, but his leg had had enough by then, and finally decided to give out. The panther collapsed on the muddy riverbank, hissing and spitting at the hunter, even as the man smirked at him and raised the rifle to deliver the final shot. But a sudden noise distracted the man. The canopy was suddenly screaming with the voice of every animal that inhabited it. The hunter looked confused for a moment, then shrugged it off and went back to aiming his rifle carefully at the wounded panther.  
  
Spike's heart sank when he realized that his death wouldn't be fast. The man was considering him the way most people look over a pair of jeans they're about to buy... He wouldn't want damaged goods. Which meant that he was going to shoot Spike as many times as it took to kill him, without damaging his trophy. The panther's handsome head. Helplessly, hopelessly, Spike cried out one last time along the Sire/Childe bond, sending his final thoughts... Along with his love, and forgiveness to his Sire, in what Spike was sure was the last moments of his life.  
  
But just then, the white wolf burst from the trees behind the hunter.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Angel snarled, charging at full speed at the hunter, launching himself into the air, his jaws gaping and preparing to rip the man's neck out from behind. "Leave my Childe alone!"  
  
The hunter whirled, his rifle suddenly pointing directly at the wolf's head. The man gave a cry of fright, and his finger tightened on the trigger.  
  
"Angel!", Spike cried. "Sire, LOOK OUT!"  
  
The single thunderous gunshot was enough to silence all the screaming creatures in the jungle.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
(Author's Note: * smirks * Well, if you didn't believe I was evil before, you probably do now. There are really only about three ways I could end this, aren't there? Epilogue coming soon. Please read and review. Thanks. –Darkwolf) 


	15. I Think We Just Did Epilogue

"Can't Top an Exit Like That"  
I Think We Just Did... (Epilogue)  
  
Angel's body hit the ground hard, rolling several times and coming to rest against something hard and leathery, several other objects collapsing and covering him over.  
  
Spike let out a cry of pure emotional pain, and leaped to his feet, intending to rip that hunter limb from limb... and promptly fell down, his face winding up sticking in the soft carpeting...  
  
Wait. Carpeting?  
  
Pressing his palms to the ground, Spike levered himself slowly onto his hands and knees, realizing with something akin to shock that he HAD hands and knees to be ON now. He was back. They were back on the jet... Then again, they'd never really LEFT, had they? He carefully pushed himself to his feet, grabbing onto the wall to steady himself. After living two weeks in the body of a four-legged panther, he was having more than a little trouble finding his center of balance.  
  
"Bloody hell...", Spike muttered to himself, then he blinked, realizing that his leg didn't hurt anymore. A quick glance down told him that the wound hadn't carried back over to this body. A jolt startled the vampire and caused him to stumble again, and he realized with a shock that the plane was actually LANDING. God. Had they only been gone for two or three hours? Wait until Angel...  
  
Spike froze. ANGEL! Quickly, he whirled to stare at where the older vampire lay. Angel had apparently fallen off the seat he was on when they 'snapped back'... And he'd rolled into the large collection of luggage that he'd insisted upon bringing onto the plane, knocking several of the larger suitcases down on top of him. But that would've been comical, if it wasn't for one thing.  
  
Angel was VERY still.  
  
Spike swallowed, and very slowly approached his Sire. He dropped to his knees by Angel's side and started carefully moving the luggage that covered his Sire, mumbling under his breath. "C'mon, mate... You're not dust, so you HAVE to be alright... Please, please be okay..."  
  
The older vampire didn't move at all in response to his Childe's words.  
  
Spike choked quietly, ignoring the fact that the plane was taxing to a stop. Wolfram & Hart planes had priority, anyway. They could stay there as long as they needed to, without running the risk of being run away from the gate. Spike sat back on his heels, crouching much the way he had as a panther, and placed a hand on his Sire's unmoving back. Swallowing, and feeling the sting of tears starting to well up in his eyes, the younger vampire shifted and laid down next to his Sire, snuggling as close as he had when both of them had been animals such a short time earlier.  
  
The part of him that was still bothered with pride didn't like the idea of laying on the floor of a plane, wrapped around his Sire like some kind of security blanket. But, by now, that part had been far overshadowed by his love for Angel. And the pain of even NEARLY losing him was almost overwhelming. If only he would just move... Please let him move...  
  
As if in response to his Childe's worried thoughts, Angel let out a very soft groan and shifted against Spike slightly. The younger vampire let out a soft sound of relief... but didn't move away from his Sire. "What... what happened?", Angel mumbled, then blinked in shock when he realized all he heard was his own words. No growls, yips or barks.  
  
Spike hugged Angel tightly, and whispered, "We're back, Angel... It's over... God, mate, I was so worried..."  
  
Angel shifted slightly, rolling over until he faced his Childe, and smiled a little bit at the younger vampire. "So was I..." He hugged Spike gently, rubbing the vampire's back the moment he noticed the tears in Spike's blue eyes. "Hey... Shh... I'm okay, Spike. I'm right here. I've got you."  
  
Spike nodded, swallowing, and, for an instant, burrowed against Angel's chest, nuzzling him in an open display of affection that would've been more than taboo a few hours before... Or two weeks, depending on how they looked at it. But something had changed. Maybe not how they felt... But more like the WAY they looked at how they felt had changed.  
  
And, in one very important way, they HAD changed. Both of them sank slightly into the soothing feeling of having their Sire/Childe bond back after so long without it and working around it. They could feel each other, the way they'd always been meant to. And neither of them would ever really feel alone again, as long as the other was still alive.  
  
Maybe that had been the point of their journey, both the real and the dreamed. In some odd way, they'd both found something they'd been missing for literally over a century. They'd had the realization of how much that long dormant bond meant to both of them. And of how much they both needed and loved each other. Spike had risked his life for Angel... and, when it had come down to it, Angel had done the same for him without a second thought. This, perhaps, was what their Guides had wanted them to see. And they'd passed their test.  
  
After a few moments of just hugging together on the floor of the plane, they both moved away from each other at the same time... But both were smiling now.  
  
"You think she's waitin' for us?", Spike asked quietly. He didn't have to add who the 'she' was. They both knew.  
  
Angel nodded. "She wasn't just part of the dream." He shifted and stood up, then helped Spike to his feet, both of them more than a little shaky back on two legs. "And that means she's out there right now, waiting for us. Let's go."  
  
Spike nodded, and gripped his Sire's hand tightly, a grip that Angel was quick to return. "Sounds good to me, mate."  
  
Angel smiled, and used their joined hands to tug Spike into another quick hug, before releasing him and going over to gather up his luggage. "Let's just get our bags, first..."  
  
Spike smirked. "You mean YOUR bags." He held up the one bag he'd brought on board. "I have mine." He grinned playfully at his Sire, and ignored the sudden impulse to swish a tail he no longer had in the gesture that now accompanied that expression. "Clothes horse."  
  
Angel raised an eyebrow, then pounced at Spike, who laughed as his Sire tackled him onto one of the couches and tickled his ribs. "What did you call me, Childe?"  
  
Spike laughed, shaking his head, and grabbed his Sire's wrists, tugging hard and sending both of them onto the floor. "Clothes horse!", he choked out, but this time, Angel just laughed and gave him a playful swat as he untangled himself and got to his feet.  
  
The older vampire chuckled softly, then tilted his head in a very wolf-like manner at his luggage. They'd lived two weeks in a jungle, with nothing but each other... He suddenly couldn't remember why bringing half his wardrobe along on a weeklong trip had seemed so important. "You know what? You're right."  
  
Spike snickered quietly as he picked himself up off the floor, scratching absently at his ribs, but then blinked at his Sire's comment. "Huh?"  
  
Angel shook his head, dropping to his knees and sorting through several of the suitcases, pulling out his favorite items from each one... and consolidating them into one suitcase. "I AM a clothes horse... I can't believe I thought I needed all this stuff... It just... It doesn't seem..."  
  
"Important?", Spike offered quietly, watching his Sire.  
  
Angel nodded. "Yeah. It doesn't seem important anymore." He stood up, holding his one suitcase, and grinned at Spike. "Okay. NOW we can go."  
  
Spike grinned back and headed for the gate that had been attached to the jet to lead them down into the terminal, and chuckled when Angel came up beside him and looped his free arm around Spike's shoulders, squeezing him in a sideways hug. "Why, Angel. What are people gonna think?"  
  
Angel just chuckled. "Tell you the truth, Spike... I don't really care anymore. This is about you and me... Not 'people'."  
  
Spike purred very quietly. A part of him had been rather worried that their newfound closeness would go away as soon as they returned to the 'real world'... But Angel had just proved that nagging thought wrong. The younger vampire felt something deep inside him relax at that realization, and he leaned gently against Angel as they walked.  
  
But as they entered the terminal, both of them stopped in their tracks.  
  
Everyone was gathered there. Milling around as if this was some sort of party... And from the banner that dangled from the ceiling, it apparently was. "Welcome Home, Spike & Angel", it read, in large, bold letters.  
  
"Wow," Spike mumbled. "Buffy really went all out..."  
  
Angel just nodded in response, but both vampires dropped their suitcases when they heard Buffy's voice.  
  
"Spike! Angel!" The Slayer was running toward them, pushing through the small crowd of Scoobies and Slayers, most of which Spike recognized from that day on the Hellmouth.  
  
The pure joy of seeing Spike... The REAL Spike, after so many months, was shooting through Buffy like adrenaline, and she practically knocked him to the floor when she leaped up and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply and passionately.  
  
Spike felt his legs go weak, and only his arms around the smaller Slayer and a large amount of pure willpower were keeping him upright. Not to mention that his return kiss was just as passionate as Buffy's. Something inside him shifted, and he literally FELT a 'pop'... Then suddenly there was another bond, just as strong as his bond with Angel... But this one was with Buffy. The Slayer had blocked him from it from so long, that her suddenly shoving the second mate bond open subconsciously almost caused Spike to stumble.  
  
A mate bond... A SOUL mated bond... Just like the one she had shared with Angel for years, only newer, coursed through the two of them as they kissed. Reunited after so long, Buffy didn't know whether to laugh, scream, or cry. Though the third option seemed to be showing up the most. "I missed you," she mumbled into his mouth, basically making the understatement of the year. Mere words couldn't express how much she'd missed him, OR how happy she was to see him. "God, Spike, I love you... I love you so much..."  
  
Spike swallowed, and pressed his forehead to Buffy's, raising one hand to gently wipe away her tears, along with his own, now. That she would say that is one thing... That he could FEEL through their new bond that she MEANT it was another thing entirely... As was the fact that she had said it, and was KISSING him in front of the Scoobies... In front of Angel...  
  
Oh. Angel.  
  
Spike nuzzled Buffy's nose, shushing her gently, and started to mention that he wasn't here ALONE... which she knew, of course, he just felt the need to point it out, so Angel wouldn't feel left out. He wasn't getting anything from his Sire that told him that Angel might BE feeling that way... But Angel was also good at hiding things. However, someone tapping him on the shoulder cut off the vampire's thoughts.  
  
Spike blinked, reluctantly pulling away from Buffy to see who touched him... though he kept one arm around the Slayer, assuring himself that she was really there. And Spike blinked in surprise when he saw Giles standing next to them. He sighed, immediately expecting the Watcher to give him some kind of lecture, or to pull Buffy away... But he wasn't prepared for Giles to hug him.  
  
Spike swallowed, realizing suddenly that he was feeling the tears welling up a lot today, even as he wrapped his free arm back around Giles on pure reflex. The Watcher's fatherly presence was soothing to him. Always had been... Though that had been dampened a bit when he'd tried to have Spike killed less than a year earlier. Though the emotions were showing up again now.  
  
"I never got the chance to tell you, Spike," Giles whispered as he pulled back, his hands on Spike's shoulders. "I couldn't have been more proud of what you did back on the Hellmouth, even if you had REALLY been my son."  
  
Spike blinked slowly, and this time HE hugged Giles, almost tight enough to half suffocate the man, but he knew his own strength and stopped just short of such a drastic turn of events. "Rupert, you have NO idea how much that means to me."  
  
Giles just nodded when the two men stepped back, and clasped a hand gently on Spike's shoulder. "I know. I just had to tell you." He smiled at the vampire, then gestured at the rest of the Scoobies, slowly approaching. "And I think there are a few other people who would like to say something."  
  
Spike swallowed, and suddenly realized that Buffy was holding his free hand tightly, reassuring herself that he was really THERE. And he relaxed a bit, squeezing her hand in return. He was incredibly grateful for her support right then. Especially as Xander approached him.  
  
The young man, with a wisdom and pain showing in his one good eye that far out shadowed his years, extended a hand slowly, and shook Spike's firmly when the vampire gripped it. "Look, Spike," Xander said, a touch of his old humor in his voice. "I know you and I'll never be the best of friends, but I just wanted you to know..." The humor faded, and Xander was suddenly very serious. "What you did, on the Hellmouth that day... You saved all of us. Every person in this room... in the world, whether they know it or not, owes you their lives." The young man smiled a bit. "You're a good man, William."  
  
Spike blinked at the use of his given name, and nodded, gripping Xander's hand tighter and shaking it again. "Thanks, mate. That... that means a lot, comin' from you."  
  
Xander just nodded and stepped back as Willow moved toward him.  
  
The witch showed almost none of the timidness that Spike had come to associate with her over the years. With her new powers, had come a new sense of purpose, and responsibility. And it showed. The girl had become a woman. But when she hugged Spike, it was the old Willow who'd once comforted him when he'd initially had the Initiative Chip in his brain... Who'd sat with him and talked from time to time... The girl who's shoulder he'd cried on when Dru had left him... That was the person who hugged him tightly. Unlike the others, they didn't exchange words. The hug between the two creatures of power and darkness, striving to stay in the light, was more than enough to convey their feelings.  
  
The greetings moved on. Robin, and Andrew. The group of Slayers that had been there that day, and knew him first hand. Then Buffy gently took his hand and tugged him as the group began to move toward the doors. There was a van outside to take the group back to the Watcher's Mansion, where there was more than enough room for all of them. But something made Spike stop.  
  
Angel was walking a few feet behind everyone else, and the emotions that now came through the Sire/Childe bond weren't exactly happy. In fact, Spike noted that Angel was in serious danger of brooding. He gently kissed Buffy's cheek and whispered to her to wait for him for a moment, before he turned and walked back to meet his Sire.  
  
"Hey, Peaches... What're you doin' way back here?", he asked quietly, stopping right in front of his Sire and forcing the older vampire to look at him.  
  
Angel just shrugged. "I didn't want to interrupt..."  
  
Spike snorted. "Bullshit, Angel." His voice softened, and he put his hands on his Sire's upper arms. "C'mon. You think I'm gonna let you be that far away from me after what we've been through? You've got another thing comin'. C'mon, mate. They're waiting for us."  
  
Angel blinked, then smiled and nodded, letting Spike lead him back over to where Buffy waited. The younger vampire looped one arm around Buffy's shoulders, and the other around Angel, and the three headed for the van together.  
  
Where would the three go from there? Only time would tell for sure. But one thing was certain. Wherever it was, whatever they were doing, they would be together. How long would it last? In answer to that, another question must be posed.  
  
How long is 'forever'?  
  
The End  
  
(Author's Notes: I'd like to thank you all for sticking with me through the fifteen weeks or so that it's taken to create this fic. Each and every one of you deserves something special for sticking with me through all the cliffhangers, and odd plot turns. And so, I'm currently in the process of creating something unique to a fanfic, I believe. And something I sincerely hope you all will enjoy.  
  
Those of you who have seen DVDs are probably aware of the commonly used section known as Special Features. In a Special Features section of a DVD, you might find things like deleted scenes, alternate endings, lyrics to songs, and documentaries on the making of the movie. What I'm creating currently is a Special Features chapter for this story. It includes a deleted scene (originally part of the ending), that I started working on after You're Welcome, but eventually discarded because I believed the final cliffhanger worked better without it. You can judge for yourself once you've read it.  
  
Another thing this bonus chapter is going to include is the lyrics to three songs that greatly influenced the story. I believe, as you read them, you might get a sense for some of the less than obvious subplots that are threaded throughout the story.  
  
Also, the Special Features will include what you might call a "Making Of" documentary, of sorts, called The Journey: Metaphor or Reality? That will answer some of the frequently asked questions that people keep emailing me with (I TOLD you I wouldn't forget you. You know who you are.) regarding this story.  
  
And, finally, this special chapter will include thank yous to everyone who has been so faithful as to look for, read, and review this story over the last nearly three months. You have no idea how much your support and feedback has meant to me, and you will NOT be forgotten. I sincerely hope that you will join me on many future fanfiction journeys, as they choose to unfold.  
  
For now, until I finish and upload the Special Features, this story is over. It's been a wonderful ride, and I, for one, will be going back to read it from the very beginning, now. Thank you for reading and reviewing.  
  
(Oh, and Preety bird? I'm a guy. grin Don't worry... Common mistake.) –Darkwolf 


	16. Special Features: With Deleted Scene!

(Author's Notes: I know my notes usually come after the story, but in this case, I'm making an exception. First of all, I'd like to welcome you to the Special Features portion of this fanfiction. Something that, I hope, will give you a bit of insight into the process behind creating this and many other fanfictions. I'm doing this for several reasons. One is that there are three songs that, while not a part of the text of the story, were very... instrumental (pardon the pun) to it's creation. All three songs are from the Brother Bear soundtrack, and are copyrighted to Phil Collins. They are NOT mine. They just influenced the story. And when you read the lyrics, I believe they will do the same for you.  
  
Another reason I chose to create a Special Features chapter for this story, is that while the ending you just read WAS my original ending, I played for a time with a different ending. After seeing You're Welcome, I began looking for a way to work Cordy into the story. When I realized that this story was actually taking place BEFORE You're Welcome, I was forced to discard this alternate ending. But I believed you, my loyal readers who have stuck with this highly unusual piece of fiction from the very beginning, deserved to see the other way I thought it might end.  
  
The third reason for creating this Special Features section, was simply as a thank you to all of you wonderful readers and reviewers. I can't believe I've actually gotten no REAL negative comments on this story, despite the unusual story line, pairing, setting... You get the idea. So, without further ado, I give you the Special Features. In order to navigate this section, I recommend you click on Edit in your browser, then on Find On Page, and search for one of these three sections. They can be read in any order you wish, but I have placed them in the order I believe works best.  
  
1. Song Lyrics

2. Disclaimers

3. Deleted Scene

4. The Journey: Metaphor or Reality?

5. Concept Art

6. Final Thank Yous  
  
I hope you enjoy these Special Features as much as I've enjoyed bringing this story, with all it's twists and turns, to you. Sincerest Thanks, -Darkwolf)

* * *

Song Lyrics

* * *

* * *

**_"Look Through My Eyes" _****_by: Phil Collins,  
_**  
_ From the "Brother Bear" Soundtrack_

* * *

There are things in,  
  
Life you learn and,  
  
Oh, in time, you'll see.  
  
'Cause somewhere out there,  
It's all waiting,  
  
If you keep believing.  
  
So don't run,  
Don't hide,  
It will be alright.  
  
You'll see,  
  
Trust me,  
  
I'll be there,  
  
Watching over you...  
  
**_Chorus:_**  
  
Just take a look,  
Through my eyes.  
  
There's a better place somewhere out there.  
  
Oh, just take a look,  
  
Through my eyes.  
  
Everything changes, you'll be amazed what you'll find,  
  
If you'll look through my eyes.

There will be times,  
  
On this journey,  
  
All you'll see is darkness.  
  
But out there somewhere,  
  
Daylight finds you,  
  
If you keep believing.  
  
So don't run,  
Don't hide,  
It will be alright.  
  
You'll see,  
Trust me,  
I'll be there,  
Watching over you.  
  
_**Chorus:**  
_  
Just take a look,  
Through my eyes.  
  
There's a better place somewhere out there.  
  
Oh, just take a look,  
Through my eyes.  
Everything changes, you'll be amazed what you'll find,  
If you'll look through my eyes.

All the things that,  
You can change.  
  
There's a meaning in everything.  
  
And you will find,  
  
All you need.  
  
There's so much to understand.  
  
**_Chorus:  
_**  
Just take a look  
  
_ (take a look)_  
Through my eyes,  
  
_ (look through my eyes)_  
There's a better place somewhere out there.  
  
Oh just take a look,  
  
_ (take a look)  
_ Through my eyes,  
  
_ (look through my eyes)_  
Everything changes, you'll be amazed what you'll find.  
  
_ (You'll find)_  
If you take a look through my eyes.  
  
_ (There's a better place)_  
  
Just take a look through my eyes,  
  
_ (you know there's a better place)_  
  
Just look through my eyes...  
  
Take a look through my eyes....

* * *

**_"Transformation"  
_**  
_ by: Phil Collins  
(From the "Brother Bear" soundtrack)_

* * *

Come with me,  
  
I'll take you now.  
  
To a place that you fear.  
  
For no reason why,  
  
Your heart has turned,  
  
Away from me.  
  
And I will make you,  
  
Understand...

**_ Chorus:  
_**  
Everything will become clear to you,  
  
When you see things through,  
  
Another's eyes.  
  
Everything will become clear to you,  
  
Whatever's meant for you,  
  
You will find.

Come with me,  
  
I'll take you there.  
  
To a place where you'll see.  
  
Every thing you need,  
  
To be the one,  
  
You need to be.  
  
And all of those things,  
  
That you feared...  
  
Will disappear,  
  
From view,  
  
In time....

**_Chorus:_**

Everything will become clear to you,  
  
When you see things through,  
  
Another's eyes.  
  
Everything will become clear to you,  
  
Whatever's meant for you,  
  
You will find.

* * *

  
  
**_ "No Way Out (theme from Brother Bear)"  
_** _ by: Phil Collins  
From the "Brother Bear" soundtrack_

* * *

  
  
Everywhere I turn,  
  
I hurt someone.  
  
But there's nothing I can say,  
  
To change the things I've done.

I'd do anything within my power,  
  
I'd give everything I've got.  
  
But the path I seek,  
  
Is hidden from me now.

Brother Bear,  
  
I let you down.  
  
You trusted me,  
  
Believed in me,  
  
And I let you down.

Of all the things I hid from you,  
  
I cannot hide the shame.  
  
And I pray someone,  
  
Something would come,  
  
To take away the pain...

**_Chorus:_**

There's no way out,  
  
Of this dark place.  
  
No hope,  
  
No future.

I know I can't be free.  
  
But I can't see another way.  
  
And I can't face another day.

Tell me where,  
  
Did I go wrong?  
  
Everyone I love,  
  
They're all gone.

I'd do everything so differently,  
But I can't turn back the time.  
  
There's no shelter,  
  
From this storm inside of me.  
  
Oh, ohhh,

**_Chorus:_**

**__**   
  
There's no way out,  
Of this dark place.  
  
No hope,  
No future.  
  
I know I can't be free.  
  
But I can't see another way.  
  
And I can't face another day.

Can't believe,  
  
The words I hear.  
  
It's like an answer to a prayer.  
  
When I look around I see.

This place,  
  
This time,  
  
This friend,  
  
Of mine.

I know it's hard,  
But you found some how,  
  
To look into your heart,  
  
And to forgive me now.

You've given me the strength to see,  
  
Just where my journey ends.  
  
You've given me,  
The strength to carry on.  
  
Oh, Ohhh...

**_New Chorus:_**

**_   
  
_**  
I see the path,  
From this dark place.  
  
I see my future.

Your forgiveness,  
  
Has set me free.  
  
Oh, and I can see another way.  
  
I can face another day, yeah!

I see the path...  
  
_ I see my future.  
_  
I see the path,  
_ From this dark place._  
  
I see my future...

* * *

* * *

* * *

Disclaimers 

* * *

I've noticed in my readings of fanfiction here on ff.net and elsewhere, that most authors choose to include a disclaimer, despite the fact that one is included in the terms of use of this and many other fanfiction sites. As this is common practice, I choose to add my disclaimers here. First, for the above songs. They do not now, nor have they ever, belonged to me or anyone I know personally. With the possible exception of my bought copy of the Brother Bear soundtrack.  
  
And then there's the story itself. It feels strange to do this for the characters, and yet not the story, but I suppose that is what I must do. The STORY is mine, and the characters aren't. The ideas, plot, and overall plan of the story (including the art in the Concept Art section) are mine. Angel, Spike, Buffy and anyone else from the Jossverse that I might have mentioned at some point, aren't mine. The hunter, I suppose, IS mine... But I don't think I want him. shrug 

* * *

Alternate Ending

* * *

_ (Chapter title: "And I won't remember I did")_  
  
(Author's Note: One more note, then I'll let you get on with reading the alternate ending. Considering the time frame (the literal one) spoken of in the fanfiction, it's very possible that by the time Angel and Spike reached London, it was AFTER You're Welcome. I just realized this as I sat here typing out the alternate ending. However, that completely throws off the Jossverse's timeline, so it might be best to ignore that. But it does give a way that this could have happened. Thank you, and enjoy a second look at the ending of You Can't Top An Exit Like That. Oh. And one last note. Included, just to set the scene, are the last few paragraphs of chapter 14. Thank you.) 

* * *

Spike ran until he couldn't go any further. Ironically, his leg wasn't what stopped him, but, rather, the very river that had been their home for so long. He was further downstream, though... And the stench of death pervaded this area of the riverbank. Not too far from where he'd burst from the foliage, half a decaying carcass of a whistling deer was rotting... and not too far away from that, the body of the other panther who's life had finally given out some time the previous night. Spike felt strangely saddened upon noticing the other cat's corpse, then sobered with the realization that his body was very likely about to JOIN that of his fellow panther, when the hunter crept out of the trees.  
  
Spike tried to lunge, but his leg had had enough by then, and finally decided to give out. The panther collapsed on the muddy riverbank, hissing and spitting at the hunter, even as the man smirked at him and raised the rifle to deliver the final shot. But a sudden noise distracted the man. The canopy was suddenly screaming with the voice of every animal that inhabited it. The hunter looked confused for a moment, then shrugged it off and went back to aiming his rifle carefully at the wounded panther.  
  
Spike's heart sank when he realized that his death wouldn't be fast. The man was considering him the way most people look over a pair of jeans they're about to buy... He wouldn't want damaged goods. Which meant that he was going to shoot Spike as many times as it took to kill him, without damaging his trophy. The panther's handsome head. Helplessly, hopelessly, Spike cried out one last time along the Sire/Childe bond, sending his final thoughts... Along with his love, and forgiveness to his Sire, in what Spike was sure was the last moments of his life.  
  
But just then, the white wolf burst from the trees behind the hunter. 

* * *

Angel snarled, charging at full speed at the hunter, launching himself into the air, his jaws gaping and preparing to rip the man's neck out from behind. "Leave my Childe alone!"  
  
The hunter whirled, his rifle suddenly pointing directly at the wolf's head. The man gave a cry of fright, and his finger tightened on the trigger.  
  
"Angel!", Spike cried. "Sire, LOOK OUT!"  
  
The single thunderous gunshot was enough to silence all the screaming creatures in the jungle. 

* * *

* * *

Time stopped.  
  
It didn't slow down. Lives didn't flash before canine and feline eyes. Time simply... stopped.  
  
Everything was frozen in place. The water in the river had stopped running. The animals in the canopy were still and silent... And a bullet hovered mere inches from the face of a leaping white wolf, frozen in the air, who now had a very comical look on his face as he considered the frozen hunter and the rifle. For some reason, the bullet stopped square in front of his eyes was more disconcerting than the fact that he was frozen about five feet off the ground in mid leap. "Spike?", he asked after a moment.  
  
There was a pause, then the reply came. "Yeah, Angel?"  
  
"Can you move?"  
  
Spike carefully shifted, then pushed himself to his feet, and was amazed to find that his wounded leg no longer hurt. "Yeah... I'm movin'. Hang on." The panther slowly made his way around the frozen hunter, and stopped in his tracks when he saw his companion's position. "God... Angel, the bullet..."  
  
"Yeah. I kind of can't help seeing it. Can you get me down?"  
  
Spike blinked. "Get you DOWN? I don't even know what's holdin' you UP." But the panther approached his Sire anyway, determined to help in whatever way he could. But that was when the light started filtering through the trees.  
  
It wasn't sunlight. It was too... pure for sunlight. And the shadows on the ground didn't respond to it. Everything was still except for the panther and wolf's breathing. And Spike suddenly had to step back when the light wrapped itself around Angel's middle and slowly lowered him to the ground. "Well. That works."  
  
Angel shook himself and growled at the light, just on principal, and quickly moved to stand next to his Childe as the two stared at the light that should very well have been blinding, but wasn't. "What is it?"  
  
Spike shook his head. "No clue, mate..." The panther slowly approached the light column, that almost seemed to be watching them the same way they were watching IT. He slowly extended a paw, reaching for it. And when he touched it, the light seemed to explode outward. With a cry of fright, Spike scrambled back, tripping over his own tail and nearly crashing into Angel in his haste to get away from the lights.  
  
"Whoa," Angel whispered. And when Spike got to his feet, it was suddenly obvious what about that light had the older vampire enraptured.  
  
It was like an aurora, but at ground level. The lights wound around and through everything, always moving. They circled the wolf and panther, only to dive up into the sky, then back down again. Spike stared at the waving light tendrils as they wound their way toward the old panther's body. "Angel... Look. The panther..."  
  
The white wolf turned, just in time to see the light turn into a swirling vortex above the dead animal... and it was doing the identical thing around the half a deer carcass. Slowly, with what sounded like a distant panther roar and deer bleat, something rose away from the animals bodies. And when the two vampires squinted their eyes, they could almost make out the form of a panther and deer running side by side into the aurora.  
  
"It's a portal," Angel whispered after a moment. "To some kind of afterlife... Those two must... they must have been the Guides of people who've died. But... does that mean that we're-"  
  
A soft whistling sound distracted him from finishing that thought, and both Angel and Spike turned to look at the main aurora column now. Something was moving toward them from inside it. As it got closer, it became obvious that it was another cat. A long, thin, incredibly graceful feline, with a golden body covered in small black spots. A cheetah.  
  
Angel swallowed. He knew. Somehow, he just knew. "Cordy?"  
  
Spike blinked at him, then back at the cheetah as it stepped out of the aurora... though it kept the glow of light around it, even as the cat slowly stood up on two legs... and showed itself as Cordelia. Just as beautiful as she'd been the last time Angel had seen her... alive.  
  
Cordelia gave a soft smile, and crouched in front of Angel, wrapping her ethereal arms around his wolf's neck and hugging him tightly. "It's me," she whispered quietly, scratching Angel's neck when the wolf started whimpering. He knew. He could guess what had happened. "Shhh," Cordy whispered to him. "Don't be upset... It was my time, my Angel... I'm just glad I had this last chance to save your furry ass." She gave him an almost cheeky grin as she sat back on her heels, then considered the panther sitting beside him. "And you. Spike, there are a lot of good things being said about you up there."  
  
Spike blinked. First he's told the Scoobies consider him a hero, and now good things are being said about him in heaven? Maybe Angel hadn't been right about their chances of spending their after dust upstairs, after all. "Really?" He furrowed his brow. "Wait... No offense, luv, but... Aren't you in a coma?"  
  
"She's dead," Angel whispered, his ears laying back, and Spike's eyes widened when Cordy nodded. "I'm guessing she died while we were on the plane..." He looked at Cordy sadly. "I should've been there."  
  
Cordelia shook her head, ruffling the fur atop Angel's head gently. "Don't beat yourself up, Brood Boy," she whispered affectionately. "Like I said... It was my time. And the PTB owed me a favor... I told them I wanted to get my man back on track. To show him a few things." Her smile was sad and happy at the same time. "And I'm pretty sure you know, now."  
  
Angel nodded, glancing at Spike, then back at Cordy. "I know. And I'm never going to forget again." He stood up when Cordy kissed the top of his head, then started backing toward the aurora again. "Wait... Cordy... I want..."  
  
"I know, Angel." She smiled at him again, sadly. "I'm going to miss you. But... I'll see you again. Don't worry." Her body dropped to all fours as it reverted to the cheetah form, and now her voice came from all around them, and inside their heads. "You won't remember this... Either of you. It's not time for you to know about me, yet... But it IS time for you two to go home."  
  
The cheetah turned, and took off running into the aurora, while Angel and Spike suddenly found themselves lifted straight up into the air in the same tendrils of light that had taken the panther and deer's spirits only a short time before. Below them, they witnessed time start again, and the hunter, oblivious to the lights in the sky, look around in confusion when he found BOTH animals were gone.  
  
The lights began to spin, faster and faster, and Angel and Spike cried out in tandem, just as something made a very, VERY loud "POP!". 

* * *

Angel's body hit the ground hard, rolling several times before he came to rest against something cold and leathery... 

* * *

* * *

(Author's Note: The rest of the ending basically proceeded as it did in the Epilogue. Any changes weren't profound enough to bother rewriting for this Special Features segment. I hope you enjoyed the alternate ending. The truth is that this section very well COULD have happened... But if Angel and Spike didn't remember it, neither would we. Thank you for reading. More Special Features to follow.) 

* * *

* * *

* * *

_ A Documentary:_

__  
**_"The Journey: Metaphor Or Reality?"_**  
_ (Insight into the making of an epic fanfic)_

* * *

* * *

First of all, I'd like to thank you all for following me this far. And now, I'd like to take this time to answer a few questions that have been posed to me (and that I have posed to myself) while writing this fanfic. The easiest way to do this, and I hope I manage to address everyone's concerns by doing it this way, is to look at the story from two different viewpoints. To look at it 'through another's eyes', if you will. What follows is a bare bones retelling of the story, from the standpoint of A) Everything that happened in the Guide's world is simply a metaphor. And that will be followed by B) Everything that happened in the Guides world was REAL, as well as all the danger. By the time you reach the end of this documentary, I hope I will have given you a deeper insight into the true meanings of this story... As well as a reminder that there is always more than one way to look at things. 

* * *

Part One:  
Creating The Story

* * *

Believe it or not, this story started as two completely separate one shots. The first chapter, which I will refer to as 'Entrance' just for clarity's sake, was a stand-alone story written after the episode "Harm's Way", in which Harmony was convinced that nothing she did mattered. The episode was Harmony centric, if you'll recall, and didn't really show us much of either Spike or Angel's feelings on the matter. I disliked the way Joss had portrayed Angel, after ALL poor Harm had gone through, just ordering her to get more coffee, so I decided to do something about it.  
  
However, as I got to writing the story, I found that the reason I'd started it didn't seem to be becoming the focal point of the fic. This confused me, as it's never really happened before. Usually, when I sit down to write a post episode fic, I basically KNOW where I'm going, and have a vague idea of how to get there. I had that for this story as well... But it veered off on a tangent all on it's own, and I never was able to get it back on track. However, what it has evolved into is actually far more poignant, and a stronger, BETTER story than the one I originally had in mind. And it seems that I've made a name for myself with it, as well, which is always a nice thing.  
  
As I noticed where the story was going, another idea popped into my head, seemingly randomly. How does Buffy feel? Not knowing that Spike's alive, how is she coping with these last few months? So I started another one shot, not long after posting up Entrance. However, as that story progressed, it became rather surprisingly clear to me just how well this story would fit as a second chapter to Exit. So, after I completed it, and actually reread Entrance, following it up with this new short story, I decided to make that short the second chapter.  
  
Of course, if you'll recall, Exit was never really MEANT to have a second chapter. It was open ended on purpose, to allow readers to draw their own conclusions... But I hadn't intended to continue it. However, after putting the second chapter up, I realized that this story was not going to let me go until I finished it. At this point, I didn't even know where it was going.  
  
You might notice that there's a very short sequence in the third chapter that refers to someone chanting in Latin, and the plane going down as if it was going to crash. This is actually something that I mean to replace, later on, when it became obvious that the Guides reality was a dreamworld, which meant that I DIDN'T have to crash the plane. That little sequence is an example of me actually getting ahead of the story. I didn't like it when I wrote it, and it still doesn't fit, because I was trying to EXPLAIN something that I didn't even understand, yet. As we moved along in the story, it became obvious that this never happened, because nothing in the future ever referred back to it. chuckle And I'm just too lazy to bother replacing the third chapter's text with something that would make more sense later. I PROBABLY will do that, eventually, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.  
  
However, the fourth chapter is where things truly start to get interesting. And now we can move on to one of the two interpretations of the rest of the story. 

* * *

Part Two:  
  
Pure Metaphor

* * *

We already know about the physical journey that Spike and Angel are on. They're on a plane, heading to see Buffy for the first time in months for Spike, and over a year for Angel. The emotions associated with this reunion are running hot, and Spike is doing his best to keep Angel calm. Internally, though he isn't aware of it, his desires to have his Sire be his SIRE again have been reawakened by his constant proximity to Angel ever since his recorporialization. This is the motive behind his desire both to bring Angel WITH him to meet Buffy, and behind his desire to help his Sire relax at the same time. If Angel is relaxed, at this point, Spike is more likely to be relaxed. But when they wake up in the jungle, a few things have changed.  
  
Let's check that metaphor meter, now.  
  
Spike is a panther, who awakens in a tree, while he's secretly been hiding his acrophobia from people for a century. The first thing he has to face is his own fear. If we look at this through those little rose colored metaphor glasses, we see that his Guide is teaching him that, before he can move on in ANY relationship, he needs to first face the fears of rejection he still has. Symbolized here by his fear of falling. So the first thing he has to do is get out of that tree, or, looking at it as a metaphor, get past his own fear of rejection. Which he does later on by being the first one to make contact with his Sire. Spike is the one that starts the gentle licking and play that become second nature for them later on... And even when Angel pulled away initially, Spike didn't let that discourage him. First lesson learned.  
  
Then we have Angel. Not previously wounded, when he wakes up as a wolf, he has a deep, almost crippling wound in his leg. We didn't see what caused this. So what's the first lesson that Angel's Guide is attempting to teach him? That, alone, isn't clear yet. Because it seems more important to Angel that he suddenly isn't in his own body. So his REAL first lesson is that he needs to get comfortable in unfamiliar surroundings. When he reconciles with his Childe, they won't exactly be on 'normal' relationship terms. Most people will look at them as strange, and disturbing... And Angel, the more superficial of the two, needs to get past what others... and what HE thinks of himself.  
  
The wound, which seemed to come from nowhere, on the other hand, is a different symbol. Angel has been the one pushing Spike away and blocking his Childe from reconnecting with him. When looked at through our little metaphor glasses, the wound becomes a symbol of self-sabotage. By pushing Spike away, Angel is hurting himself, and his Guide has chosen to represent that with a real, physical wound. Something Angel understands. Also, if we look further in the future, we see that the wound didn't stop HURTING him until after he became relaxed touching and being touched by Spike. So that makes the symbolism of that relatively clear. And shows that both Spike and Angel learned their lessons at the same time.  
  
The second lesson was a mutual one, and is metaphorically symbolized here by the fight when Spike and Angel first see each other's animal bodies. Accomplished a bit faster than the first lesson, this one is rather straight forward. Before they can move on, and get to somewhere that will be mutually beneficial, they have to first put aside their petty differences and inclination to fight. There's a secondary lesson being taught here, as well, and it's one that Angel won't learn until later. Spike was ready for it first, so his Guide allowed him to believe that Angel was dead. That was the lesson. What happened when Spike thought his Sire was gone? He went into a rage at the one thing he could see that might have taken Angel away from him. This being the wolf. Showing Spike two things. One, he has more in common with Angel as far as grieving processes go than he thought, and two, he cares enough about his Sire that it would hurt BADLY to lose him. That was something he hadn't been letting himself see.  
  
Metaphor glasses are starting to look pretty clear about now, aren't they? But wait, there's more.  
  
Now, as we move on, we begin to see how differently the two are adapting to their situation. In other words, Spike is adapting, and Angel is fighting it with everything in him. Within an hour of arriving, Spike is obeying his panther instincts, while Angel won't even let his wolf tell him how to drink water. This results in the next lesson, though it's actually a different lesson for Spike than it is for Angel. We now come to the Croc.  
  
Now, I've been asked if the Croc is actually someone else's Guide. And the truth is that I really don't know. There are six billion people in the world, each with their own Guide. Chances are, yes. It is someone's Guide. But is it anyone we KNOW? Most likely not. What I do know for sure is that the Croc is an important lesson for both Spike and Angel.  
  
Let's put on those metaphor glasses again.  
  
Angel's being stubborn, which isn't anything new at all. He's trying to BITE the water, and ignoring the fact that his Guide knows how to drink. He's also ignoring his Guide's instincts, which, if he had been paying ATTENTION to them, would have noticed the same things Spike did. The things that alerted Spike to the Croc's presence and intentions. So there we have Angel's lesson. He needs to learn to listen to his instincts, rather than fighting them. And then he'll be able to see what's so obvious to everyone else.  
  
Now let's take a look at the same situation, but from the other side. Spike's side. He's already learned to listen to his instincts. He's been doing it his whole life, even after he got his soul. So it's only natural that sinking into the panther's consciousness would be his first, initial reaction. But now we come to the lesson that the Croc posed for Spike. There's a killer coming straight for Angel. Something that will kill his Sire in a split second. Now, he's already learned that he has NO desire to live without Angel, so what does he do? Leaping for Angel could be suicide. The Croc could grab HIM rather than the wolf. But Spike overrides his self- preservation instinct, and dives for Angel, risking his life to save that of his Sire's. Needless to say, he learned that lesson amazingly well.  
  
I'm curious. Have any of you guessed what the next lesson might be? And who is going to learn it? If you said "Angel", you're right.  
  
Ever since his experience in Hell, he's been (understandably) afraid of death. A fear that he's been covering up for years with morbid humor and quick subject changes. If you've watched the show, you know what I mean. You've seen that slight tensing of his shoulders every time someone says "Go to hell"... and seen how quickly he is to respond with something like "No thanks. Already been there". There's a fear there. One he needs to both face, and get comfortable with other people knowing about. Other people, such as Spike. And when Angel finally accepts the comfort his Childe offers, he's learned that lesson, even though he has yet to pass the first lesson his Guide presented him with.  
  
As we move along now, we see that the next lesson isn't Spike's, OR Angel's... It's Buffy's. She needs to see the panther, and her Guide knows it. Her Guide brings her into something she immediately recognizes as a Guiding dream and relaxes into it... Yet something's different, here. Enter Spike, as a panther.  
  
Buffy and Spike have a soul-mated bond, which is illustrated later. But Buffy had been so intent on keeping Spike from 'getting in', that she never realized he already WAS. So, subconsciously, she's been blocking the bond from the very beginning. If their bond had been open, she would've been able to understand Spike's words from the very beginning. There's her lesson. Trust yourself, and your decisions of who to love. Buffy does, but she can't consciously open the bond... And if she did, she isn't expecting to find anything, so it wouldn't have been open anyway. So this lesson is really more of a 'look. That panther isn't normal' moment.  
  
The next lesson is actually Angel's. His instant panic upon being confronted with the Jaguar is to hide. And to ream Spike for bringing the cat to their camp. Notice that Spike doesn't play the 'submissive Childe' roll here, either. He stands up to his Sire. This only unnerves Angel more... However, it does also force him to start looking at Spike as more of an equal. This is good. Lesson learned? Sort of. They're still working on that one.  
  
As we move further on, (I'm purposely skipping a bit, because now that you all can see a bit of my thinking, I think your own metaphor glasses will be doing the translating for you), we get to a point where everything just seems perfect. Plenty of food, safe and sound, wounds healing...  
  
But now it's Spike's turn to see something. And THIS is the hardest lesson he has to learn. When he's hunting the Duiker... yeah, I know, you'd think the lesson is 'patience', right? Well, MAYBE that's a separate lesson. But it isn't the one I'm focusing on here. Spike's happy with his kill. Excited to get back and show it to Angel.  
  
And he's so damned cocky that he ignores the panther's instincts for the first time. The ONE thing that could've kept him out of that Tiger Trap. But he failed that test, and in he fell. Lesson learned? Painfully so. Though it probably won't register with him consciously for awhile.  
  
Now back at the camp, Angel's getting upset. Worried about his Childe. But wolf eyes aren't the best at night. Not much better than human eyes, and definitely worse than vampire eyes, which are built more like cat's eyes. However, despite his fear, Angel sets off into the jungle, away from his safe haven, to find Spike. Was there a lesson there, or is it to come? How about a little of both? Putting fear aside in favor of protecting and finding his Childe... And then facing his own innate fear of LOSING Spike... and asking for the Jaguar's help. For passing this test... learning this lesson, Angel gets a reward.  
  
Thanks to his still active bond with Buffy, and Buffy's realization of things... He and the Slayer can now hear and understand each other. But there's a failed lesson here, too. Two of them, actually. Number one, Angel let Buffy distract him from finding Spike... when he was RIGHT next to his unconscious and injured Childe's dank prison. The second failure comes later, when, after releasing Spike from the pit, Angel makes a semi- conscious... and later FULLY conscious, decision NOT to tell Spike about Buffy. This is selfish, and risky. Selfish for obvious reasons... and risky for the one that's coming up.  
  
Thanks to Buffy paying another well timed visit, Spike discovers that Angel has been not only HIDING things from him, but LYING to him as well. With their new, more open, more affectionate relationship, this is a heavy, painful blow to Spike. Angel tries to apologize, but he failed the test days before it even came up. Spike leaves.  
  
Now Buffy mentioned a hunter, and we are coming up to a part that got me a lot of 'scared' reviews from people who thought I might actually KILL Angel... Might I remind you... I'm not Joss. ;)  
  
People have emailed me, asking if the hunter is real or not. If we are dealing in a world of pure metaphor, then no, he isn't. At least, not the way you would think. But the Guides world is real as well... Remember that Buffy said that her Guides aged while she was dead? Meaning that, when their Guided dies, a Guide reverts to it's true form. Now does this mean that they leave the dream world? Or is the dream world just some hidden, magical corner of the real world? I can't answer that for you. THAT one is up to you to figure out.  
  
The short version is that the hunter represents every single outside force that would try to split the newly found team of Sire and Childe up. He represents evil. Battles. Anger. Resentment. Pain. Loss. Everything that could come between Angel and Spike, including the opinions of other people.  
  
Now why does the hunter come upon Spike first? Well, remember the failed test back at the pit? This is Spike's punishment for failing... Like Spike's leaving was to Angel. A physical mistake causes physical repercussions, and an emotional mistake causes emotional ones. Spike is shot, but not killed, by the hunter. He's still able to get up and run. But the hunter chases him, and corners him. At this point, his leg stopped working.  
  
Now, had he turned and used the energy that he used to RUN, and attacked the hunter instead, then he might have killed the hunter before the wound became bad enough to cripple him. But he panicked, and chose to run. Now he's trapped, and the hunter is leveling his gun at the panther's chest. Nothing Spike can do will stop the hunter, though he blusters, hissing and swiping a paw, claws outstretched, trying to frighten the hunter away.  
  
Now we reach the final test. When it came down to it, Spike saved Angel from the Croc, right away. Without a second thought. Now it's Angel's turn to face the same choice.  
  
And he does it without thinking.  
  
The hunter carries a gun. The hunter represents everything that is trying to keep Spike from him, and him from Spike. Angel leaps, even though a part of him has to know that the gun will come up faster than he can sink his teeth into the hunter. Perhaps a part of him is hoping that his simple momentum will hit the hunter hard enough to kill him, dead or not.  
  
And we get the fateful words. The words that break open the long dormant Sire/Childe bond... The use of the terms themselves.  
  
"Leave my Childe alone!"  
  
"Sire, LOOK OUT!"  
  
Are those words what triggered them to snap back? Was it the gunshot? Or was it the opening of the bond itself? My theory is that it was a mixture of all three. And more. In the deleted scene above, you see that perhaps there was someone orchestrating all of this, behind the scenes. Did that really happen? I leave that up to you to decide. But now, we move on to the final part of this documentary... 

* * *

Part 3:  
  
Pure Reality

* * *

This section will be much shorter. In fact, it can be summed up in one simple question. Was everything that happened real?  
  
The duikers, the deer, the panther, the wolf, the jaguar, the croc, the hunter and his gun... Was all of that pure reality? With no hidden meanings at all?  
  
If you've read this far, then I think you'll agree with me when I say that the answer is yes...  
  
And no.  
  
For what has happened here was a melding. Partial reality, and partial metaphor. Everything that happened was real. If the bond hadn't snapped open at that last instant, it's very possible that Angel never would've awakened from his slumber on the plane, his conscious mind forever separated from his body.  
  
But however you look at it, the end result was the same. A reunion, in more ways and one, and a clear declaration of a kind of love that's meant to last forever.  
  
Thank you for joining me on this journey, both the metaphorical, and the real. I hope you found it as interesting and informative as I did while I wrote it.  
  
Thank you,  
  
Darkwolf 

* * *

* * *

* * *

Concept Art

* * *

* * *

Unfortunately, there's really only one piece of concept art that I have digitized at the moment. More will most likely follow, as well as a fan art picture one of my friends and reviewers, Tigerrrl, drew of the now (in)famous panther tummy-tickle scene. I'll upload this again with changes when I get around to doing that. For right now, here is a pencil sketch I did before I started writing this story, of the panther and wolf. You can see it, and all my other images at the gallery link on my lookup. I won't try to put the link in here... It would just get deleted. 

* * *

* * *

* * *

Final Thanks & Credits

* * *

Special thanks are due everyone who has faithfully read and reviewed all chapters. If I don't mention you here, I apologize. I'm trying to include everyone. Thanks are as follows:  
  
AraelMoonchild 

Evan Como

Alli-kun

Courtney

MX

BlueEyes2

Trinity

Tigerrrl

Preety Bird

Culf

QuaxoKitty

Smurphy

IceQueen31

xLonelyxGhostx

The Midgar Demon

Shadowcat

Kelso

Crimson Skye

Issa aka Vianne

The Mad Gremlin

Panther

Shadow

Z

King Henry the V

FlameDancer77

Dewdrops

Anahita

Rhinestone

Sange

Jan

Cmdr. Phantom

Moonchild

ShinodaBear

Candlewick866

N170017

Bloody Rot

LilithAngel

Carol

Petra

Tiffany  
  
Well, I think that's everyone. I went through the chapters one at a time and picked out everyone that reviewed more than once... I'm surprised it came out to an even number, but I like that. I like even numbers.  
  
Thank you all again, and I hope to see your names on reviews for many more of my stories! (Hint: The Aftermath, The Right Combination, The Calm Amid The Storm, A Little Surprise... /Hint)

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Credits & Final A/N

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Angel, Spike, Buffy & all related characters and places belong to Mutant Enemy, despite my many attempts to steal them for my own. The story idea, story itself, and all ideas expressed in this Special Features section are solely that of the author, and are not meant to sway the masses into thinking like me. Because if you did... well, no one would want to read my stories, because everyone would know them already. =D  
  
Author's Note: Thank you all for sticking with me through all the plot twists, ect. That this story has gone through. A more loyal, nice fan base has never existed. Congratulations to you all for making this journey with a slightly deranged vampire werewolf. ( It's up to you to decide whether or not I'm kidding about that last part.  
  
Anyway, I'll be putting up a new short, two chapter story soon, entitled Miracle. The basic idea there is that there's this cat that wanders into Wolfram & Hart one day, and steals everyone's hearts... Except Angel's.... As to where it goes from there, I hope you take that journey with me as well.  
  
Reminding you to always try to look at things from another perspective... (You never know when that will make you see everything clearer...) This is Darkwolf Untamed. And this really is: 

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The End

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Thank you for reading and reviewing, as always. -Darkwolf 


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